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Suzuki-Tellier S, Miano F, Asadzadeh SS, Simpson AGB, Kiørboe T. Foraging mechanisms in excavate flagellates shed light on the functional ecology of early eukaryotes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317264121. [PMID: 38781211 PMCID: PMC11145212 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317264121] [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: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The phagotrophic flagellates described as "typical excavates" have been hypothesized to be morphologically similar to the Last Eukaryotic Common Ancestor and understanding the functional ecology of excavates may therefore help shed light on the ecology of these early eukaryotes. Typical excavates are characterized by a posterior flagellum equipped with a vane that beats in a ventral groove. Here, we combined flow visualization and observations of prey capture in representatives of the three clades of excavates with computational fluid dynamic modeling, to understand the functional significance of this cell architecture. We record substantial differences amongst species in the orientation of the vane and the beat plane of the posterior flagellum. Clearance rate magnitudes estimated from flow visualization and modeling are both like that of other similarly sized flagellates. The interaction between a vaned flagellum beating in a confinement is modeled to produce a very efficient feeding current at low energy costs, irrespective of the beat plane and vane orientation and of all other morphological variations. Given this predicted uniformity of function, we suggest that the foraging systems of typical excavates studied here may be good proxies to understand those potentially used by our distant ancestors more than 1 billion years ago.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sei Suzuki-Tellier
- Centre for Ocean Life, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby2800, Denmark
| | - Federica Miano
- Centre for Ocean Life, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby2800, Denmark
| | - Seyed Saeed Asadzadeh
- Centre for Ocean Life, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby2800, Denmark
| | - Alastair G. B. Simpson
- Department of Biology, Centre for Comparative Genomics and Evolutionary Bioinformatics, Dalhousie University, HalifaxNSB3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Thomas Kiørboe
- Centre for Ocean Life, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby2800, Denmark
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2
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Domazet-Lošo M, Široki T, Šimičević K, Domazet-Lošo T. Macroevolutionary dynamics of gene family gain and loss along multicellular eukaryotic lineages. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2663. [PMID: 38531970 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47017-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The gain and loss of genes fluctuate over evolutionary time in major eukaryotic clades. However, the full profile of these macroevolutionary trajectories is still missing. To give a more inclusive view on the changes in genome complexity across the tree of life, here we recovered the evolutionary dynamics of gene family gain and loss ranging from the ancestor of cellular organisms to 352 eukaryotic species. We show that in all considered lineages the gene family content follows a common evolutionary pattern, where the number of gene families reaches the highest value at a major evolutionary and ecological transition, and then gradually decreases towards extant organisms. This supports theoretical predictions and suggests that the genome complexity is often decoupled from commonly perceived organismal complexity. We conclude that simplification by gene family loss is a dominant force in Phanerozoic genomes of various lineages, probably underpinned by intense ecological specializations and functional outsourcing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjana Domazet-Lošo
- Department of Applied Computing, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb, Unska 3, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Tin Široki
- Department of Applied Computing, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb, Unska 3, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Korina Šimičević
- Department of Applied Computing, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb, Unska 3, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tomislav Domazet-Lošo
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
- School of Medicine, Catholic University of Croatia, Ilica 242, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
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3
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Zhang Z, Moye AR, He F, Chen M, Agosto MA, Wensel TG. Centriole and transition zone structures in photoreceptor cilia revealed by cryo-electron tomography. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302409. [PMID: 38182160 PMCID: PMC10770417 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302409] [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: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Primary cilia mediate sensory signaling in multiple organisms and cell types but have structures adapted for specific roles. Structural defects in them lead to devastating diseases known as ciliopathies in humans. Key to their functions are structures at their base: the basal body, the transition zone, the "Y-shaped links," and the "ciliary necklace." We have used cryo-electron tomography with subtomogram averaging and conventional transmission electron microscopy to elucidate the structures associated with the basal region of the "connecting cilia" of rod outer segments in mouse retina. The longitudinal variations in microtubule (MT) structures and the lumenal scaffold complexes connecting them have been determined, as well as membrane-associated transition zone structures: Y-shaped links connecting MT to the membrane, and ciliary beads connected to them that protrude from the cell surface and form a necklace-like structure. These results represent a clearer structural scaffold onto which molecules identified by genetics, proteomics, and superresolution fluorescence can be placed in our emerging model of photoreceptor sensory cilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixian Zhang
- https://ror.org/02pttbw34 Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Abigail R Moye
- https://ror.org/02pttbw34 Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Ophthalmic Genetics, Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Feng He
- https://ror.org/02pttbw34 Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Muyuan Chen
- https://ror.org/02pttbw34 Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Division of CryoEM and Bioimaging, SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Melina A Agosto
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Theodore G Wensel
- https://ror.org/02pttbw34 Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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4
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Kiørboe T. Predation in a Microbial World: Mechanisms and Trade-Offs of Flagellate Foraging. ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE 2024; 16:361-381. [PMID: 37368955 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-020123-102001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Heterotrophic nanoflagellates are the main consumers of bacteria and picophytoplankton in the ocean and thus play a key role in ocean biogeochemistry. They are found in all major branches of the eukaryotic tree of life but are united by all being equipped with one or a few flagella that they use to generate a feeding current. These microbial predators are faced with the challenges that viscosity at this small scale impedes predator-prey contact and that their foraging activity disturbs the ambient water and thus attracts their own flow-sensing predators. Here, I describe some of the diverse adaptations of the flagellum to produce sufficient force to overcome viscosity and of the flagellar arrangement to minimize fluid disturbances, and thus of the various solutions to optimize the foraging-predation risk trade-off. I demonstrate how insights into this trade-off can be used to develop robust trait-based models of microbial food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Kiørboe
- Centre for Ocean Life, DTU Aqua, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark;
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5
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Meng X, Xu C, Li J, Qiu B, Luo J, Hong Q, Tong Y, Fang C, Feng Y, Ma R, Shi X, Lin C, Pan C, Zhu X, Yan X, Cong Y. Multi-scale structures of the mammalian radial spoke and divergence of axonemal complexes in ependymal cilia. Nat Commun 2024; 15:362. [PMID: 38191553 PMCID: PMC10774353 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44577-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Radial spokes (RS) transmit mechanochemical signals between the central pair (CP) and axonemal dynein arms to coordinate ciliary motility. Atomic-resolution structures of metazoan RS and structures of axonemal complexes in ependymal cilia, whose rhythmic beating drives the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid, however, remain obscure. Here, we present near-atomic resolution cryo-EM structures of mouse RS head-neck complex in both monomer and dimer forms and reveal the intrinsic flexibility of the dimer. We also map the genetic mutations related to primary ciliary dyskinesia and asthenospermia on the head-neck complex. Moreover, we present the cryo-ET and sub-tomogram averaging map of mouse ependymal cilia and build the models for RS1-3, IDAs, and N-DRC. Contrary to the conserved RS structure, our cryo-ET map reveals the lack of IDA-b/c/e and the absence of Tektin filaments within the A-tubule of doublet microtubules in ependymal cilia compared with mammalian respiratory cilia and sperm flagella, further exemplifying the structural diversity of mammalian motile cilia. Our findings shed light on the stepwise mammalian RS assembly mechanism, the coordinated rigid and elastic RS-CP interaction modes beneficial for the regulation of asymmetric ciliary beating, and also facilitate understanding on the etiology of ciliary dyskinesia-related ciliopathies and on the ependymal cilia in the development of hydrocephalus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueming Meng
- Key Laboratory of RNA Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Cong Xu
- Key Laboratory of RNA Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Jiawei Li
- Key Laboratory of RNA Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Benhua Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiajun Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Qin Hong
- Key Laboratory of RNA Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Yujie Tong
- Key Laboratory of RNA Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Chuyu Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanyan Feng
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Institute of Early Life Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Rui Ma
- Shanghai Nanoport, Thermofisher Scientific, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangyi Shi
- Shanghai Nanoport, Thermofisher Scientific, Shanghai, China
| | - Cheng Lin
- Key Laboratory of RNA Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Chen Pan
- National Facility for Protein Science in Shanghai, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Xueliang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Xiumin Yan
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Institute of Early Life Health, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Yao Cong
- Key Laboratory of RNA Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.
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6
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Yang JE, Larson MR, Sibert BS, Kim JY, Parrell D, Sanchez JC, Pappas V, Kumar A, Cai K, Thompson K, Wright ER. Correlative montage parallel array cryo-tomography for in situ structural cell biology. Nat Methods 2023; 20:1537-1543. [PMID: 37723245 PMCID: PMC10555823 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-01999-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Imaging large fields of view while preserving high-resolution structural information remains a challenge in low-dose cryo-electron tomography. Here we present robust tools for montage parallel array cryo-tomography (MPACT) tailored for vitrified specimens. The combination of correlative cryo-fluorescence microscopy, focused-ion-beam milling, substrate micropatterning, and MPACT supports studies that contextually define the three-dimensional architecture of cells. To further extend the flexibility of MPACT, tilt series may be processed in their entirety or as individual tiles suitable for sub-tomogram averaging, enabling efficient data processing and analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie E Yang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Midwest Center for Cryo-Electron Tomography, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Matthew R Larson
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Midwest Center for Cryo-Electron Tomography, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Bryan S Sibert
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Midwest Center for Cryo-Electron Tomography, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Joseph Y Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Daniel Parrell
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Juan C Sanchez
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Victoria Pappas
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Anil Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Midwest Center for Cryo-Electron Tomography, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kai Cai
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Midwest Center for Cryo-Electron Tomography, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Keith Thompson
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Midwest Center for Cryo-Electron Tomography, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Wright
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
- Midwest Center for Cryo-Electron Tomography, Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI, USA.
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7
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Coyle MC, Tajima AM, Leon F, Choksi SP, Yang A, Espinoza S, Hughes TR, Reiter JF, Booth DS, King N. An RFX transcription factor regulates ciliogenesis in the closest living relatives of animals. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3747-3758.e9. [PMID: 37552984 PMCID: PMC10530576 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Cilia allowed our protistan ancestors to sense and explore their environment, avoid predation, and capture bacterial prey.1,2,3 Regulated ciliogenesis was likely critical for early animal evolution,2,4,5,6 and in modern animals, deploying cilia in the right cells at the right time is crucial for development and physiology. Two transcription factors, RFX and FoxJ1, coordinate ciliogenesis in animals7,8,9 but are absent from the genomes of many other ciliated eukaryotes, raising the question of how the regulation of ciliogenesis in animals evolved.10,11 By comparing the genomes of animals with those of their closest living relatives, the choanoflagellates, we found that the genome of their last common ancestor encoded at least three RFX paralogs and a FoxJ1 homolog. Disruption of the RFX homolog cRFXa in the model choanoflagellate Salpingoeca rosetta resulted in delayed cell proliferation and aberrant ciliogenesis, marked by the collapse and resorption of nascent cilia. In cRFXa mutants, ciliogenesis genes and foxJ1 were significantly downregulated. Moreover, the promoters of S. rosetta ciliary genes are enriched for DNA motifs matching those bound by the cRFXa protein in vitro. These findings suggest that an ancestral cRFXa homolog coordinated ciliogenesis in the progenitors of animals and choanoflagellates and that the selective deployment of the RFX regulatory module may have been necessary to differentiate ciliated from non-ciliated cell types during early animal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell C Coyle
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Adia M Tajima
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Fredrick Leon
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Semil P Choksi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Ally Yang
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, M5S 3E1, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Sarah Espinoza
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Timothy R Hughes
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, M5S 3E1, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Jeremy F Reiter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - David S Booth
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Nicole King
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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8
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Leung MR, Zeng J, Wang X, Roelofs MC, Huang W, Zenezini Chiozzi R, Hevler JF, Heck AJR, Dutcher SK, Brown A, Zhang R, Zeev-Ben-Mordehai T. Structural specializations of the sperm tail. Cell 2023; 186:2880-2896.e17. [PMID: 37327785 PMCID: PMC10948200 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sperm motility is crucial to reproductive success in sexually reproducing organisms. Impaired sperm movement causes male infertility, which is increasing globally. Sperm are powered by a microtubule-based molecular machine-the axoneme-but it is unclear how axonemal microtubules are ornamented to support motility in diverse fertilization environments. Here, we present high-resolution structures of native axonemal doublet microtubules (DMTs) from sea urchin and bovine sperm, representing external and internal fertilizers. We identify >60 proteins decorating sperm DMTs; at least 15 are sperm associated and 16 are linked to infertility. By comparing DMTs across species and cell types, we define core microtubule inner proteins (MIPs) and analyze evolution of the tektin bundle. We identify conserved axonemal microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) with unique tubulin-binding modes. Additionally, we identify a testis-specific serine/threonine kinase that links DMTs to outer dense fibers in mammalian sperm. Our study provides structural foundations for understanding sperm evolution, motility, and dysfunction at a molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ricardo Leung
- Structural Biochemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jianwei Zeng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Xiangli Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Marc C Roelofs
- Structural Biochemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Riccardo Zenezini Chiozzi
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry & Proteomics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Johannes F Hevler
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry & Proteomics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Albert J R Heck
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry & Proteomics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Susan K Dutcher
- Department of Genetics, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Alan Brown
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Tzviya Zeev-Ben-Mordehai
- Structural Biochemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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9
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Liu P, Liu Y, Zhou J. Ciliary mechanosensation - roles of polycystins and mastigonemes. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:286945. [PMID: 36752106 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cilia are surface-exposed organelles that provide motility and sensory functions for cells, and it is widely believed that mechanosensation can be mediated through cilia. Polycystin-1 and -2 (PC-1 and PC-2, respectively) are transmembrane proteins that can localize to cilia; however, the molecular mechanisms by which polycystins contribute to mechanosensation are still controversial. Studies detail two prevailing models for the molecular roles of polycystins on cilia; one stresses the mechanosensation capabilities and the other unveils their ligand-receptor nature. The discovery that polycystins interact with mastigonemes, the 'hair-like' protrusions of flagella, is a novel finding in identifying the interactors of polycystins in cilia. While the functions of polycystins proposed by both models may coexist in cilia, it is hoped that a precise understanding of the mechanism of action of polycystins can be achieved by uncovering their distribution and interacting factors inside cilia. This will hopefully provide a satisfying answer to the pathogenesis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), which is caused by mutations in PC-1 and PC-2. In this Review, we discuss the characteristics of polycystins in the context of cilia and summarize the functions of mastigonemes in unicellular ciliates. Finally, we compare flagella and molecular features of PC-2 between unicellular and multicellular organisms, with the aim of providing new insights into the ciliary roles of polycystins in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwei Liu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology , College of Life Sciences in Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology , College of Life Sciences in Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology , College of Life Sciences in Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China.,College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
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