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Doostdar P, Hawley J, Chopra K, Marinopoulou E, Lea R, Arashvand K, Biga V, Papalopulu N, Soto X. Cell coupling compensates for changes in single-cell Her6 dynamics and provides phenotypic robustness. Development 2024; 151:dev202640. [PMID: 38682303 PMCID: PMC11190438 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
This paper investigates the effect of altering the protein expression dynamics of the bHLH transcription factor Her6 at the single-cell level in the embryonic zebrafish telencephalon. Using a homozygote endogenous Her6:Venus reporter and 4D single-cell tracking, we show that Her6 oscillates in neural telencephalic progenitors and that the fusion of protein destabilisation (PEST) domain alters its expression dynamics, causing most cells to downregulate Her6 prematurely. However, counterintuitively, oscillatory cells increase, with some expressing Her6 at high levels, resulting in increased heterogeneity of Her6 expression in the population. These tissue-level changes appear to be an emergent property of coupling between single-cells, as revealed by experimentally disrupting Notch signalling and by computationally modelling alterations in Her6 protein stability. Despite the profound differences in the single-cell Her6 dynamics, the size of the telencephalon is only transiently altered and differentiation markers do not exhibit significant differences early on; however, a small increase is observed at later developmental stages. Our study suggests that cell coupling provides a compensation strategy, whereby an almost normal phenotype is maintained even though single-cell gene expression dynamics are abnormal, granting phenotypic robustness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parnian Doostdar
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Joshua Hawley
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Kunal Chopra
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Elli Marinopoulou
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Robert Lea
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Kiana Arashvand
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Veronica Biga
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Nancy Papalopulu
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health,The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Ximena Soto
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Function, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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2
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Chandel AS, Keseroglu K, Özbudak EM. Oscillatory control of embryonic development. Development 2024; 151:dev202191. [PMID: 38727565 PMCID: PMC11128281 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202191] [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: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Proper embryonic development depends on the timely progression of a genetic program. One of the key mechanisms for achieving precise control of developmental timing is to use gene expression oscillations. In this Review, we examine how gene expression oscillations encode temporal information during vertebrate embryonic development by discussing the gene expression oscillations occurring during somitogenesis, neurogenesis, myogenesis and pancreas development. These oscillations play important but varied physiological functions in different contexts. Oscillations control the period of somite formation during somitogenesis, whereas they regulate the proliferation-to-differentiation switch of stem cells and progenitor cells during neurogenesis, myogenesis and pancreas development. We describe the similarities and differences of the expression pattern in space (i.e. whether oscillations are synchronous or asynchronous across neighboring cells) and in time (i.e. different time scales) of mammalian Hes/zebrafish Her genes and their targets in different tissues. We further summarize experimental evidence for the functional role of their oscillations. Finally, we discuss the outstanding questions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angad Singh Chandel
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Systems Biology and Physiology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Kemal Keseroglu
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Ertuğrul M. Özbudak
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
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3
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Pina C. Contributions of transcriptional noise to leukaemia evolution: KAT2A as a case-study. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230052. [PMID: 38432321 PMCID: PMC10909511 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional noise is proposed to participate in cell fate changes, but contributions to mammalian cell differentiation systems, including cancer, remain associative. Cancer evolution is driven by genetic variability, with modulatory or contributory participation of epigenetic variants. Accumulation of epigenetic variants enhances transcriptional noise, which can facilitate cancer cell fate transitions. Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive cancer with strong epigenetic dependencies, characterized by blocked differentiation. It constitutes an attractive model to probe links between transcriptional noise and malignant cell fate regulation. Gcn5/KAT2A is a classical epigenetic transcriptional noise regulator. Its loss increases transcriptional noise and modifies cell fates in stem and AML cells. By reviewing the analysis of KAT2A-depleted pre-leukaemia and leukaemia models, I discuss that the net result of transcriptional noise is diversification of cell fates secondary to alternative transcriptional programmes. Cellular diversification can enable or hinder AML progression, respectively, by differentiation of cell types responsive to mutations, or by maladaptation of leukaemia stem cells. KAT2A-dependent noise-responsive genes participate in ribosome biogenesis and KAT2A loss destabilizes translational activity. I discuss putative contributions of perturbed translation to AML biology, and propose KAT2A loss as a model for mechanistic integration of transcriptional and translational control of noise and fate decisions. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Causes and consequences of stochastic processes in development and disease'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Pina
- College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, London, UB8 3PH, United Kingdom
- CenGEM – Centre for Genome Engineering and Maintenance, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, London, UB8 3PH, United Kingdom
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4
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Maia-Fernandes AC, Martins-Jesus A, Borralho-Martins N, Pais-de-Azevedo T, Magno R, Duarte I, Andrade RP. Spatio-temporal dynamics of early somite segmentation in the chicken embryo. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297853. [PMID: 38635504 PMCID: PMC11025740 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
During vertebrate embryo development, the body is progressively segmented along the anterior-posterior (A-P) axis early in development. The rate of somite formation is controlled by the somitogenesis embryo clock (EC), which was first described as gene expression oscillations of hairy1 (hes4) in the presomitic mesoderm of chick embryos with 15-20 somites. Here, the EC displays the same periodicity as somite formation, 90 min, whereas the posterior-most somites (44-52) only arise every 150 minutes, matched by a corresponding slower pace of the EC. Evidence suggests that the rostral-most somites are formed faster, however, their periodicity and the EC expression dynamics in these early stages are unknown. In this study, we used time-lapse imaging of chicken embryos from primitive streak to somitogenesis stages with high temporal resolution (3-minute intervals). We measured the length between the anterior-most and the last formed somitic clefts in each captured frame and developed a simple algorithm to automatically infer both the length and time of formation of each somite. We found that the occipital somites (up to somite 5) form at an average rate of 75 minutes, while somites 6 onwards are formed approximately every 90 minutes. We also assessed the expression dynamics of hairy1 using half-embryo explants cultured for different periods of time. This showed that EC hairy1 expression is highly dynamic prior to somitogenesis and assumes a clear oscillatory behaviour as the first somites are formed. Importantly, using ex ovo culture and live-imaging techniques, we showed that the hairy1 expression pattern recapitulates with the formation of each new pair of somites, indicating that somite segmentation is coupled with EC oscillations since the onset of somitogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cristina Maia-Fernandes
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas (FMCB), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Ana Martins-Jesus
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, Faro, Portugal
| | - Nísia Borralho-Martins
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas (FMCB), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Tomás Pais-de-Azevedo
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas (FMCB), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | | | - Isabel Duarte
- Pattern Institute, Faro, Portugal
- CINTESIS@RISE, Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Raquel P. Andrade
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas (FMCB), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
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5
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Shen Y, Chen X, Song Z, Yao H, Han A, Zhang Y, Cai Y, Hu B. MicroRNA-9 promotes axon regeneration of mauthner-cell in zebrafish via her6/ calcium activity pathway. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:104. [PMID: 38411738 PMCID: PMC10899279 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05117-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
MicroRNA (miRNA), functioning as a post-transcriptional regulatory element, plays a significant role in numerous regulatory mechanisms and serves as a crucial intrinsic factor influencing axon regeneration. Prior investigations have elucidated the involvement of miRNA-9 in various processes, however, its specific contribution to axon regeneration in the central nervous system (CNS) remains uncertain. Hence, the zebrafish Mauthner axon regeneration model was employed to manipulate the expression of miRNA-9 in single cells, revealing that upregulation of miRNA-9 facilitated axon regeneration. Additionally, her6, a downstream target gene of miRNA-9, was identified as a novel gene associated with axon regeneration. Suppression of her6 resulted in enhanced Mauthner axon regeneration, as evidenced by the significantly improved regenerative capacity observed in her6 knockout zebrafish. In addition, modulation of her6 expression affects intracellular calcium levels in neurons and promoting her6 expression leads to a decrease in calcium levels in vivo using the new NEMOf calcium indicator. Moreover, the administration of the neural activity activator, pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) partially compensated for the inhibitory effect of her6 overexpression on the calcium level and promoted axon regeneration. Taken together, our study revealed a role for miRNA-9 in the process of axon regeneration in the CNS, which improved intracellular calcium activity and promoted axon regeneration by inhibiting the expression of downstream target gene her6. In our study, miRNA-9 emerged as a novel and intriguing target in the intricate regulation of axon regeneration and offered compelling evidence for the intricate relationship between calcium activity and the facilitation of axon regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueru Shen
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Xinghan Chen
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Zheng Song
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Huaitong Yao
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Along Han
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Yawen Zhang
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Yuan Cai
- First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Bing Hu
- Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
- Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
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6
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Fu RZ, Cottrell O, Cutillo L, Rowntree A, Zador Z, Wurdak H, Papalopulu N, Marinopoulou E. Identification of genes with oscillatory expression in glioblastoma: the paradigm of SOX2. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2123. [PMID: 38267500 PMCID: PMC10808450 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51340-z] [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: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Quiescence, a reversible state of cell-cycle arrest, is an important state during both normal development and cancer progression. For example, in glioblastoma (GBM) quiescent glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) play an important role in re-establishing the tumour, leading to relapse. While most studies have focused on identifying differentially expressed genes between proliferative and quiescent cells as potential drivers of this transition, recent studies have shown the importance of protein oscillations in controlling the exit from quiescence of neural stem cells. Here, we have undertaken a genome-wide bioinformatic inference approach to identify genes whose expression oscillates and which may be good candidates for controlling the transition to and from the quiescent cell state in GBM. Our analysis identified, among others, a list of important transcription regulators as potential oscillators, including the stemness gene SOX2, which we verified to oscillate in quiescent GSCs. These findings expand on the way we think about gene regulation and introduce new candidate genes as key regulators of quiescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Zhiming Fu
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
- Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
- Department of Neurosurgery, Manchester Centre for Clinical Neurosciences, Salford Care Organisation, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Salford Royal, Stott Lane, Salford, M6 8HD, UK
| | - Oliver Cottrell
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Luisa Cutillo
- School of Mathematics, University of Leeds, Woodhouse, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Andrew Rowntree
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Zsolt Zador
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, St. Michael's Hospital, 36 Queen St E, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada
- Department of Surgery, McMaster University, 1280 Mains St W, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
- Center for Discovery in Cancer Research (CDCR), McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Heiko Wurdak
- Stem Cell and Brain Tumour Group, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK
| | - Nancy Papalopulu
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
| | - Elli Marinopoulou
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
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7
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Dijkhuis L, Johns A, Ragusa D, van den Brink SC, Pina C. Haematopoietic development and HSC formation in vitro: promise and limitations of gastruloid models. Emerg Top Life Sci 2023; 7:439-454. [PMID: 38095554 PMCID: PMC10754337 DOI: 10.1042/etls20230091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are the most extensively studied adult stem cells. Yet, six decades after their first description, reproducible and translatable generation of HSC in vitro remains an unmet challenge. HSC production in vitro is confounded by the multi-stage nature of blood production during development. Specification of HSC is a late event in embryonic blood production and depends on physical and chemical cues which remain incompletely characterised. The precise molecular composition of the HSC themselves is incompletely understood, limiting approaches to track their origin in situ in the appropriate cellular, chemical and mechanical context. Embryonic material at the point of HSC emergence is limiting, highlighting the need for an in vitro model of embryonic haematopoietic development in which current knowledge gaps can be addressed and exploited to enable HSC production. Gastruloids are pluripotent stem cell-derived 3-dimensional (3D) cellular aggregates which recapitulate developmental events in gastrulation and early organogenesis with spatial and temporal precision. Gastruloids self-organise multi-tissue structures upon minimal and controlled external cues, and are amenable to live imaging, screening, scaling and physicochemical manipulation to understand and translate tissue formation. In this review, we consider the haematopoietic potential of gastruloids and review early strategies to enhance blood progenitor and HSC production. We highlight possible strategies to achieve HSC production from gastruloids, and discuss the potential of gastruloid systems in illuminating current knowledge gaps in HSC specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza Dijkhuis
- Department of Hematopoiesis, Sanquin Research, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ayona Johns
- College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, U.K
- Centre for Genome Engineering and Maintenance, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, U.K
| | - Denise Ragusa
- College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, U.K
- Centre for Genome Engineering and Maintenance, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, U.K
| | | | - Cristina Pina
- College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, U.K
- Centre for Genome Engineering and Maintenance, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, U.K
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8
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Veen K, Krylov A, Yu S, He J, Boyd P, Hyde DR, Mantamadiotis T, Cheng LY, Jusuf PR. Her6 and Prox1a are novel regulators of photoreceptor regeneration in the zebrafish retina. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011010. [PMID: 37930995 PMCID: PMC10653607 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Damage to light-sensing photoreceptors (PRs) occurs in highly prevalent retinal diseases. As humans cannot regenerate new PRs, these diseases often lead to irreversible blindness. Intriguingly, animals, such as the zebrafish, can regenerate PRs efficiently and restore functional vision. Upon injury, mature Müller glia (MG) undergo reprogramming to adopt a stem cell-like state. This process is similar to cellular dedifferentiation, and results in the generation of progenitor cells, which, in turn, proliferate and differentiate to replace lost retinal neurons. In this study, we tested whether factors involved in dedifferentiation of Drosophila CNS are implicated in the regenerative response in the zebrafish retina. We found that hairy-related 6 (her6) negatively regulates of PR production by regulating the rate of cell divisions in the MG-derived progenitors. prospero homeobox 1a (prox1a) is expressed in differentiated PRs and may promote PR differentiation through phase separation. Interestingly, upon Her6 downregulation, Prox1a is precociously upregulated in the PRs, to promote PR differentiation; conversely, loss of Prox1a also induces a downregulation of Her6. Together, we identified two novel candidates of PR regeneration that cross regulate each other; these may be exploited to promote human retinal regeneration and vision recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kellie Veen
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Aaron Krylov
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shuguang Yu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Centre for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie He
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Centre for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Patrick Boyd
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Zebrafish Research, and Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - David R. Hyde
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Zebrafish Research, and Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Theo Mantamadiotis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Louise Y. Cheng
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Patricia R. Jusuf
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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9
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Blatnik MC, Gallagher TL, Amacher SL. Keeping development on time: Insights into post-transcriptional mechanisms driving oscillatory gene expression during vertebrate segmentation. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 14:e1751. [PMID: 35851751 PMCID: PMC9840655 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Biological time keeping, or the duration and tempo at which biological processes occur, is a phenomenon that drives dynamic molecular and morphological changes that manifest throughout many facets of life. In some cases, the molecular mechanisms regulating the timing of biological transitions are driven by genetic oscillations, or periodic increases and decreases in expression of genes described collectively as a "molecular clock." In vertebrate animals, molecular clocks play a crucial role in fundamental patterning and cell differentiation processes throughout development. For example, during early vertebrate embryogenesis, the segmentation clock regulates the patterning of the embryonic mesoderm into segmented blocks of tissue called somites, which later give rise to axial skeletal muscle and vertebrae. Segmentation clock oscillations are characterized by rapid cycles of mRNA and protein expression. For segmentation clock oscillations to persist, the transcript and protein molecules of clock genes must be short-lived. Faithful, rhythmic, genetic oscillations are sustained by precise regulation at many levels, including post-transcriptional regulation, and such mechanisms are essential for proper vertebrate development. This article is categorized under: RNA Export and Localization > RNA Localization RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Regulation of RNA Stability Translation > Regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica C. Blatnik
- The Ohio State University, Department of Molecular Genetics, Columbus, Ohio, 43210-1132, United States
| | - Thomas L. Gallagher
- The Ohio State University, Department of Molecular Genetics, Columbus, Ohio, 43210-1132, United States
| | - Sharon L. Amacher
- The Ohio State University, Department of Molecular Genetics, Columbus, Ohio, 43210-1132, United States
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10
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Soto X, Burton J, Manning CS, Minchington T, Lea R, Lee J, Kursawe J, Rattray M, Papalopulu N. Sequential and additive expression of miR-9 precursors control timing of neurogenesis. Development 2022; 149:276990. [PMID: 36189829 PMCID: PMC9641661 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200474] [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: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRs) have an important role in tuning dynamic gene expression. However, the mechanism by which they are quantitatively controlled is unknown. We show that the amount of mature miR-9, a key regulator of neuronal development, increases during zebrafish neurogenesis in a sharp stepwise manner. We characterize the spatiotemporal profile of seven distinct microRNA primary transcripts (pri-mir)-9s that produce the same mature miR-9 and show that they are sequentially expressed during hindbrain neurogenesis. Expression of late-onset pri-mir-9-1 is added on to, rather than replacing, the expression of early onset pri-mir-9-4 and -9-5 in single cells. CRISPR/Cas9 mutation of the late-onset pri-mir-9-1 prevents the developmental increase of mature miR-9, reduces late neuronal differentiation and fails to downregulate Her6 at late stages. Mathematical modelling shows that an adaptive network containing Her6 is insensitive to linear increases in miR-9 but responds to stepwise increases of miR-9. We suggest that a sharp stepwise increase of mature miR-9 is created by sequential and additive temporal activation of distinct loci. This may be a strategy to overcome adaptation and facilitate a transition of Her6 to a new dynamic regime or steady state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximena Soto
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK,Authors for correspondence (; )
| | - Joshua Burton
- Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Cerys S. Manning
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Thomas Minchington
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Robert Lea
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Jessica Lee
- Discovery Department, Medicines Discovery Catapult, Block 35, Mereside, Alderley Park, Alderley Edge, Cheshire, SK10 4TG, UK
| | - Jochen Kursawe
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9SS, UK
| | - Magnus Rattray
- Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Nancy Papalopulu
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK,Authors for correspondence (; )
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11
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Jimenez E, Slevin CC, Song W, Chen Z, Frederickson SC, Gildea D, Wu W, Elkahloun AG, Ovcharenko I, Burgess SM. A regulatory network of Sox and Six transcription factors initiate a cell fate transformation during hearing regeneration in adult zebrafish. CELL GENOMICS 2022; 2. [PMID: 36212030 PMCID: PMC9540346 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2022.100170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Using adult zebrafish inner ears as a model for sensorineural regeneration, we ablated the mechanosensory receptors and characterized the single-cell epigenome and transcriptome at consecutive time points during hair cell regeneration. We utilized deep learning on the regeneration-induced open chromatin sequences and identified cell-specific transcription factor (TF) motif patterns. Enhancer activity correlated with gene expression and identified potential gene regulatory networks. A pattern of overlapping Sox- and Six-family TF gene expression and binding motifs was detected, suggesting a combinatorial program of TFs driving regeneration and cell identity. Pseudotime analysis of single-cell transcriptomic data suggested that support cells within the sensory epithelium changed cell identity to a “progenitor” cell population that could differentiate into hair cells. We identified a 2.6 kb DNA enhancer upstream of the sox2 promoter that, when deleted, showed a dominant phenotype that resulted in a hair-cell-regeneration-specific deficit in both the lateral line and adult inner ear. Jimenez et al. interrogate the epigenomic and transcriptomic landscape of regenerating adult zebrafish inner-ear sensory epithelia. They show that the support-cell population transitions to an intermediate “progenitor” cell state that becomes new hair cells, and they demonstrate that the cell fate decisions may be driven by the coordinate regulation and spatial co-binding of Sox and Six transcription factors. By functionally validating a predicted regeneration-responsive enhancer upstream of sox2, they show that precise timing of sox2 expression is critical for hearing regeneration in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Jimenez
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Claire C. Slevin
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Wei Song
- Computational Biology Branch, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Zelin Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
| | - Stephen C. Frederickson
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Derek Gildea
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Weiwei Wu
- Vaccine Immunology Program, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Abdel G. Elkahloun
- Cancer Genetics and Comparative Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ivan Ovcharenko
- Computational Biology Branch, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Shawn M. Burgess
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Corresponding author
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12
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Carraco G, Martins-Jesus AP, Andrade RP. The vertebrate Embryo Clock: Common players dancing to a different beat. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:944016. [PMID: 36036002 PMCID: PMC9403190 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.944016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate embryo somitogenesis is the earliest morphological manifestation of the characteristic patterned structure of the adult axial skeleton. Pairs of somites flanking the neural tube are formed periodically during early development, and the molecular mechanisms in temporal control of this early patterning event have been thoroughly studied. The discovery of a molecular Embryo Clock (EC) underlying the periodicity of somite formation shed light on the importance of gene expression dynamics for pattern formation. The EC is now known to be present in all vertebrate organisms studied and this mechanism was also described in limb development and stem cell differentiation. An outstanding question, however, remains unanswered: what sets the different EC paces observed in different organisms and tissues? This review aims to summarize the available knowledge regarding the pace of the EC, its regulation and experimental manipulation and to expose new questions that might help shed light on what is still to unveil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil Carraco
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas (FMCB), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
| | | | - Raquel P. Andrade
- ABC-RI, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, Faro, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas (FMCB), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Raquel P. Andrade,
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13
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Gallicchio L, Griffiths-Jones S, Ronshaugen M. miR-9a regulates levels of both rhomboid mRNA and protein in the early Drosophila melanogaster embryo. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6526387. [PMID: 35143618 PMCID: PMC8982436 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs can have subtle and combinatorial effects on the levels of the targets and pathways they act on. Studying the consequences of a single microRNA knockout often proves difficult as many such knockouts exhibit phenotypes only under stress conditions. This has often led to the hypothesis that microRNAs buffer the effects of intrinsic and environmental stochasticity on gene expression. Observing and understanding this buffering effect entails quantitative analysis of microRNA and target expression in single cells. To this end, we have employed single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence, and high-resolution confocal microscopy to investigate the effects of miR-9a loss on the expression of the serine-protease Rhomboid in Drosophila melanogaster early embryos. Our single-cell quantitative approach shows that spatially, the rhomboid mRNA pattern is identical in WT and miR-9a knockout embryos. However, we find that the number of mRNA molecules per cell is higher when miR-9a is absent, and the level and temporal accumulation of rhomboid protein shows a more dramatic increase in the miR-9a knockout. Specifically, we see accumulation of rhomboid protein in miR-9a mutants by stage 5, much earlier than in WT. The data, therefore, show that miR-9a functions in the regulation of rhomboid mRNA and protein levels. While further work is required to establish whether rhomboid is a direct target of miR-9 in Drosophila, our results further establish the miR-9 family microRNAs as conserved regulators of timing in neurogenic processes. This study shows the power of single-cell quantification as an experimental tool to study phenotypic consequences of microRNA mis-regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Gallicchio
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Biology and Health, Michael Smith Building, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9GB, UK
| | - Sam Griffiths-Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Biology and Health, Michael Smith Building, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9GB, UK
| | - Matthew Ronshaugen
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Biology and Health, Michael Smith Building, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9GB, UK
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14
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Differential phase register of Hes1 oscillations with mitoses underlies cell-cycle heterogeneity in ER + breast cancer cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2113527118. [PMID: 34725165 PMCID: PMC8609326 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2113527118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumors exhibit heterogeneities that are not due to mutations, including cancer stem cells with different potencies. We show that the cancer stem-cell state predisposed to dormancy in vivo has a highly variable and long cell cycle. Using single-cell live imaging for the transcriptional repressor Hes1 (a key molecule in cancer), we show a type of circadian-like oscillatory expression of Hes1 in all cells in the population. The most potent cancer stem cells tend to divide around the trough of the Hes1 oscillatory wave, a feature predictive of a long cell cycle. A concept proposed here is that the position of cell division with respect to the Hes1 wave is predictive of its prospective cell-cycle length and cancer cellular substate. Here, we study the dynamical expression of endogenously labeled Hes1, a transcriptional repressor implicated in controlling cell proliferation, to understand how cell-cycle length heterogeneity is generated in estrogen receptor (ER)+ breast cancer cells. We find that Hes1 shows oscillatory expression with ∼25 h periodicity and during each cell cycle has a variable peak in G1, a trough around G1–S transition, and a less variable second peak in G2/M. Compared to other subpopulations, the cell cycle in CD44HighCD24Low cancer stem cells is longest and most variable. Most cells divide around the peak of the Hes1 expression wave, but preceding mitoses in slow dividing CD44HighCD24Low cells appear phase-shifted, resulting in a late-onset Hes1 peak in G1. The position, duration, and shape of this peak, rather than the Hes1 expression levels, are good predictors of cell-cycle length. Diminishing Hes1 oscillations by enforcing sustained expression slows down the cell cycle, impairs proliferation, abolishes the dynamic expression of p21, and increases the percentage of CD44HighCD24Low cells. Reciprocally, blocking the cell cycle causes an elongation of Hes1 periodicity, suggesting a bidirectional interaction of the Hes1 oscillator and the cell cycle. We propose that Hes1 oscillations are functionally important for the efficient progression of the cell cycle and that the position of mitosis in relation to the Hes1 wave underlies cell-cycle length heterogeneity in cancer cell subpopulations.
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15
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Marinopoulou E, Biga V, Sabherwal N, Miller A, Desai J, Adamson AD, Papalopulu N. HES1 protein oscillations are necessary for neural stem cells to exit from quiescence. iScience 2021; 24:103198. [PMID: 34703994 PMCID: PMC8524149 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Quiescence is a dynamic process of reversible cell cycle arrest. High-level persistent expression of the HES1 transcriptional repressor, which oscillates with an ultradian periodicity in proliferative neural stem cells (NSCs), is thought to mediate quiescence. However, it is not known whether this is due to a change in levels or dynamics. Here, we induce quiescence in embryonic NSCs with BMP4, which does not increase HES1 level, and we find that HES1 continues to oscillate. To assess the role of HES1 dynamics, we express persistent HES1 under a moderate strength promoter, which overrides the endogenous oscillations while maintaining the total HES1 level within physiological range. We find that persistent HES1 does not affect proliferation or entry into quiescence; however, exit from quiescence is impeded. Thus, oscillatory expression of HES1 is specifically required for NSCs to exit quiescence, a finding of potential importance for controlling reactivation of stem cells in tissue regeneration and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elli Marinopoulou
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PT Manchester, UK
| | - Veronica Biga
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PT Manchester, UK
| | - Nitin Sabherwal
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PT Manchester, UK
- Imagen Therapeutics, Unit 2 & 2a, Enterprise House, Lloyd Street North, M15 6SE Manchester, UK
| | - Anzy Miller
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PT Manchester, UK
| | - Jayni Desai
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PT Manchester, UK
| | - Antony D. Adamson
- Genome Editing Unit, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PT Manchester, UK
| | - Nancy Papalopulu
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PT Manchester, UK
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16
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Burton J, Manning CS, Rattray M, Papalopulu N, Kursawe J. Inferring kinetic parameters of oscillatory gene regulation from single cell time-series data. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210393. [PMID: 34583566 PMCID: PMC8479358 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene expression dynamics, such as stochastic oscillations and aperiodic fluctuations, have been associated with cell fate changes in multiple contexts, including development and cancer. Single cell live imaging of protein expression with endogenous reporters is widely used to observe such gene expression dynamics. However, the experimental investigation of regulatory mechanisms underlying the observed dynamics is challenging, since these mechanisms include complex interactions of multiple processes, including transcription, translation and protein degradation. Here, we present a Bayesian method to infer kinetic parameters of oscillatory gene expression regulation using an auto-negative feedback motif with delay. Specifically, we use a delay-adapted nonlinear Kalman filter within a Metropolis-adjusted Langevin algorithm to identify posterior probability distributions. Our method can be applied to time-series data on gene expression from single cells and is able to infer multiple parameters simultaneously. We apply it to published data on murine neural progenitor cells and show that it outperforms alternative methods. We further analyse how parameter uncertainty depends on the duration and time resolution of an imaging experiment, to make experimental design recommendations. This work demonstrates the utility of parameter inference on time course data from single cells and enables new studies on cell fate changes and population heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Burton
- Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Cerys S. Manning
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Magnus Rattray
- Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Nancy Papalopulu
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Jochen Kursawe
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9SS, UK
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17
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Biga V, Hawley J, Soto X, Johns E, Han D, Bennett H, Adamson AD, Kursawe J, Glendinning P, Manning CS, Papalopulu N. A dynamic, spatially periodic, micro-pattern of HES5 underlies neurogenesis in the mouse spinal cord. Mol Syst Biol 2021; 17:e9902. [PMID: 34031978 PMCID: PMC8144840 DOI: 10.15252/msb.20209902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultradian oscillations of HES Transcription Factors (TFs) at the single-cell level enable cell state transitions. However, the tissue-level organisation of HES5 dynamics in neurogenesis is unknown. Here, we analyse the expression of HES5 ex vivo in the developing mouse ventral spinal cord and identify microclusters of 4-6 cells with positively correlated HES5 level and ultradian dynamics. These microclusters are spatially periodic along the dorsoventral axis and temporally dynamic, alternating between high and low expression with a supra-ultradian persistence time. We show that Notch signalling is required for temporal dynamics but not the spatial periodicity of HES5. Few Neurogenin 2 cells are observed per cluster, irrespective of high or low state, suggesting that the microcluster organisation of HES5 enables the stable selection of differentiating cells. Computational modelling predicts that different cell coupling strengths underlie the HES5 spatial patterns and rate of differentiation, which is consistent with comparison between the motoneuron and interneuron progenitor domains. Our work shows a previously unrecognised spatiotemporal organisation of neurogenesis, emergent at the tissue level from the synthesis of single-cell dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Biga
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Joshua Hawley
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Ximena Soto
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Emma Johns
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Daniel Han
- Department of MathematicsSchool of Natural SciencesFaculty of Science and EngineeringThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Hayley Bennett
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Antony D Adamson
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Jochen Kursawe
- School of Mathematics and StatisticsUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Paul Glendinning
- Department of MathematicsSchool of Natural SciencesFaculty of Science and EngineeringThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Cerys S Manning
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Nancy Papalopulu
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
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18
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Baxendale S, Asad A, Shahidan NO, Wiggin GR, Whitfield TT. The adhesion GPCR Adgrg6 (Gpr126): Insights from the zebrafish model. Genesis 2021; 59:e23417. [PMID: 33735533 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Adhesion GPCRs are important regulators of conserved developmental processes and represent an untapped pool of potential targets for drug discovery. The adhesion GPCR Adgrg6 (Gpr126) has critical developmental roles in Schwann cell maturation and inner ear morphogenesis in the zebrafish embryo. Mutations in the human ADGRG6 gene can result in severe deficits in peripheral myelination, and variants have been associated with many other disease conditions. Here, we review work on the zebrafish Adgrg6 signaling pathway and its potential as a disease model. Recent advances have been made in the analysis of the structure of the Adgrg6 receptor, demonstrating alternative structural conformations and the presence of a conserved calcium-binding site within the CUB domain of the extracellular region that is critical for receptor function. Homozygous zebrafish adgrg6 hypomorphic mutants have been used successfully as a whole-animal screening platform, identifying candidate molecules that can influence signaling activity and rescue mutant phenotypes. These compounds offer promise for further development as small molecule modulators of Adgrg6 pathway activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Baxendale
- Department of Biomedical Science, Bateson Centre and Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Anzar Asad
- Department of Biomedical Science, Bateson Centre and Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Nahal O Shahidan
- Department of Biomedical Science, Bateson Centre and Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Tanya T Whitfield
- Department of Biomedical Science, Bateson Centre and Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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19
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Soto X, Biga V, Kursawe J, Lea R, Doostdar P, Thomas R, Papalopulu N. Dynamic properties of noise and Her6 levels are optimized by miR-9, allowing the decoding of the Her6 oscillator. EMBO J 2020; 39:e103558. [PMID: 32395844 PMCID: PMC7298297 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019103558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Noise is prevalent in biology and has been widely quantified using snapshot measurements. This static view obscures our understanding of dynamic noise properties and how these affect gene expression and cell state transitions. Using a CRISPR/Cas9 Zebrafish her6::Venus reporter combined with mathematical and in vivo experimentation, we explore how noise affects the protein dynamics of Her6, a basic helix-loop-helix transcriptional repressor. During neurogenesis, Her6 expression transitions from fluctuating to oscillatory at single-cell level. We identify that absence of miR-9 input generates high-frequency noise in Her6 traces, inhibits the transition to oscillatory protein expression and prevents the downregulation of Her6. Together, these impair the upregulation of downstream targets and cells accumulate in a normally transitory state where progenitor and early differentiation markers are co-expressed. Computational modelling and double smFISH of her6 and the early neurogenesis marker, elavl3, suggest that the change in Her6 dynamics precedes the downregulation in Her6 levels. This sheds light onto the order of events at the moment of cell state transition and how this is influenced by the dynamic properties of noise. Our results suggest that Her/Hes oscillations, facilitated by dynamic noise optimization by miR-9, endow progenitor cells with the ability to make a cell state transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximena Soto
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthSchool of Medical SciencesThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Veronica Biga
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthSchool of Medical SciencesThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Jochen Kursawe
- School of Mathematics and StatisticsUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Robert Lea
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthSchool of Medical SciencesThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Parnian Doostdar
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthSchool of Medical SciencesThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Riba Thomas
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthSchool of Medical SciencesThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Nancy Papalopulu
- Faculty of Biology Medicine and HealthSchool of Medical SciencesThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
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