1
|
Li CY, Boldt H, Parent E, Ficklin J, James A, Anlage TJ, Boyer LM, Pierce BR, Siegfried KR, Harris MP, Haag ES. Genetic tools for the study of the mangrove killifish, Kryptolebias marmoratus, an emerging vertebrate model for phenotypic plasticity. J Exp Zool B Mol Dev Evol 2024; 342:164-177. [PMID: 37553824 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Kryptolebias marmoratus (Kmar), a teleost fish of the order Cyprinodontiformes, has a suite of unique phenotypes and behaviors not observed in other fishes. Many of these phenotypes are discrete and highly plastic-varying over time within an individual, and in some cases reversible. Kmar and its interfertile sister species, K. hermaphroditus, are the only known self-fertile vertebrates. This unusual sexual mode has the potential to provide unique insights into the regulation of vertebrate sexual development, and also lends itself to genetics. Kmar is easily adapted to the lab and requires little maintenance. However, its internal fertilization and small clutch size limits its experimental use. To support Kmar as a genetic model, we compared alternative husbandry techniques to maximize recovery of early cleavage-stage embryos. We find that frequent egg collection enhances yield, and that protease treatment promotes the greatest hatching success. We completed a forward mutagenesis screen and recovered several mutant lines that serve as important tools for genetics in this model. Several will serve as useful viable recessive markers for marking crosses. Importantly, the mutant kissylips lays embryos at twice the rate of wild-type. Combining frequent egg collection with the kissylips mutant background allows for a substantial enhancement of early embryo yield. These improvements were sufficient to allow experimental analysis of early development and the successful mono- and bi-allelic targeted knockout of an endogenous tyrosinase gene with CRISPR/Cas9 nucleases. Collectively, these tools will facilitate modern developmental genetics in this fascinating fish, leading to future insights into the regulation of plasticity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Yu Li
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Helena Boldt
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emily Parent
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Jax Ficklin
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
- College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Althea James
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Troy J Anlage
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Lena M Boyer
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Brianna R Pierce
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Kellee R Siegfried
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Matthew P Harris
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eric S Haag
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Alila DO, Ten Brink H, Haesler M, Seehausen O. Ecological character displacement among Nothobranchius annual killifishes in Tanzania. Evolution 2024; 78:679-689. [PMID: 38241699 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Divergent ecological character displacement (ECD) is the competition-driven divergence in resource use-related phenotypic traits between coexisting species. It is considered one of the primary drivers of ecological diversification and adaptive radiation. We analyzed phenotypic and ecological variation in 2 African annual killifish species of the genus Nothobranchius: N. eggersi and N. melanospilus in sympatry and N. melanospilus in allopatry. Our aim was to test whether allopatric and sympatric populations of N. melanospilus differ morphologically from each other and from N. eggersi and examine whether these differences are consistent with the predictions of ECD. We find that sympatric N. melanospilus differ from allopatric N. melanospilus and differ from N. eggersi more strongly than the latter. Our data satisfy four criteria for demonstrating ECD: Differences in phenotypes between allopatric and sympatric N. melanospilus are greater than expected by chance; the divergence pattern between allopatric and sympatric N. melanospilus results from an evolutionary shift rather than from ecological sorting; morphological differences observed reflect differences in resource use; and, lastly, sites of allopatry and sympatry do not differ in food resource availability or other ecological conditions. Our results suggest that competition is the main driver of the observed divergence between two N. melanospilus populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David O Alila
- Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Centre of Ecology, Evolution, and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
- Division of Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Ecology & Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mkwawa University College of Education, University of Dar es salaam, Iringa, Tanzania
| | - Hanna Ten Brink
- Division of Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Ecology & Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Fish Ecology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Haesler
- Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Centre of Ecology, Evolution, and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
- Division of Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Ecology & Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ole Seehausen
- Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Centre of Ecology, Evolution, and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
- Division of Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Ecology & Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pappalardo AM, Calogero GS, Šanda R, Giuga M, Ferrito V. Evidence for Selection on Mitochondrial OXPHOS Genes in the Mediterranean Killifish Aphanius fasciatus Valenciennes, 1821. Biology (Basel) 2024; 13:212. [PMID: 38666824 PMCID: PMC11048645 DOI: 10.3390/biology13040212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) genes are a system subject to selection under determined environmental constraints despite a neutral evolution model that has long been hypothesized for the mitochondrial genome. In this study, the sequences of ND1, Cytb, and COI OXPHOS genes were analyzed in six populations of the eurythermal and euryhaline killifish A. fasciatus, to detect non-synonymous mutations leading to amino acid changes and to check whether selection acted on them using tests of recombination and selection. The results indicate a high COI and Cytb gene diversity and a high percentage of private haplotypes in all populations. In the Greek population, non-synonymous nucleotide substitutions were observed in the N-terminal region of COI and Cytb. Positively selected sites were also found. The information we obtained from the mitochondrial DNA sequences of A. fasciatus adds to the growing data on selective pressure acting on mitochondrial DNA in non-model species. These results should be explored from the perspective of the local adaptation of eurythermal and euryhaline species and supported using experimental evidence to better understand the interplay between historical climatic events and local adaptation and how each of them contributes to shaping the genetic structure of this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Maria Pappalardo
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Section of Animal Biology “M. La Greca”, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (G.S.C.); (M.G.)
| | - Giada Santa Calogero
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Section of Animal Biology “M. La Greca”, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (G.S.C.); (M.G.)
| | - Radek Šanda
- National Museum of the Czech Republic, Václavské Náměstí 68, 115 79 Prague, Czech Republic;
| | - Marta Giuga
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Section of Animal Biology “M. La Greca”, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (G.S.C.); (M.G.)
- Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impact and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (IAS-CNR), Via De Marini 6, 16149 Genova, Italy
| | - Venera Ferrito
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Section of Animal Biology “M. La Greca”, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (G.S.C.); (M.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Collar DC, Hobbs TJ, Thompson JS. Scaling of fast-start performance and its thermal dependence in mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus. J Fish Biol 2024; 104:611-623. [PMID: 37942892 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Fast-start predator-escape performance and its sensitivity to temperature (24, 30, and 36°C) were evaluated in mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus across a range of body sizes spanning YOY to adult (35-68 mm standard length). Mummichogs exhibit isometry of body dimensions and areas of the dorsal and anal fins but negative allometry of the caudal fin area. These scaling relationships are consistent with observed decreases in fast-start angular velocities with increasing body size. Linear velocity, on the contrary, does not vary with size, and both large and small mummichogs are capable of traversing similar distances in a given amount of time. In addition, temperature influences fast-start performance in similar ways over the size range, though the magnitude of the effect varies with size for some performance measures. In general, fast-start performance increases with test temperature, but mummichogs acclimated to warmer temperatures exhibit lower performance at each test temperature. Altogether, our results suggest that mummichogs across the adult size range may suffer decreases in their predator-escape performance as increasing sea temperatures combine with short-term temperature fluctuations in the estuaries these fish occupy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David C Collar
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, USA
| | - Trevor J Hobbs
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, USA
| | - Jessica S Thompson
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Di Fraia D, Marino A, Lee JH, Kelmer Sacramento E, Baumgart M, Bagnoli S, Tomaz da Silva P, Kumar Sahu A, Siano G, Tiessen M, Terzibasi-Tozzini E, Gagneur J, Frydman J, Cellerino A, Ori A. Impaired biogenesis of basic proteins impacts multiple hallmarks of the aging brain. bioRxiv 2024:2023.07.20.549210. [PMID: 38260253 PMCID: PMC10802395 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.20.549210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Aging and neurodegeneration entail diverse cellular and molecular hallmarks. Here, we studied the effects of aging on the transcriptome, translatome, and multiple layers of the proteome in the brain of a short-lived killifish. We reveal that aging causes widespread reduction of proteins enriched in basic amino acids that is independent of mRNA regulation, and it is not due to impaired proteasome activity. Instead, we identify a cascade of events where aberrant translation pausing leads to reduced ribosome availability resulting in proteome remodeling independently of transcriptional regulation. Our research uncovers a vulnerable point in the aging brain's biology - the biogenesis of basic DNA/RNA binding proteins. This vulnerability may represent a unifying principle that connects various aging hallmarks, encompassing genome integrity and the biosynthesis of macromolecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Di Fraia
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Antonio Marino
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Jae Ho Lee
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Mario Baumgart
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | | | - Pedro Tomaz da Silva
- School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
- Munich Center for Machine Learning, Munich, Germany
| | - Amit Kumar Sahu
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | | | - Max Tiessen
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | | | - Julien Gagneur
- School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
- Computational Health Center, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Judith Frydman
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alessandro Cellerino
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
- BIO@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandro Ori
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mariën V, Piskin I, Zandecki C, Van houcke J, Arckens L. Age-related alterations in the behavioral response to a novel environment in the African turquoise killifish ( Nothobranchius furzeri). Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 17:1326674. [PMID: 38259633 PMCID: PMC10800983 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1326674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) has emerged as a popular model organism for neuroscience research in the last decade. One of the reasons for its popularity is its short lifespan for a vertebrate organism. However, little research has been carried out using killifish in behavioral tests, especially looking at changes in their behavior upon aging. Therefore, we used the open field and the novel tank diving test to unravel killifish locomotion, exploration-related behavior, and behavioral changes over their adult lifespan. The characterization of this behavioral baseline is important for future experiments involving pharmacology to improve the aging phenotype. In this study, two cohorts of fish were used, one cohort was tested in the open field test and one cohort was tested in the novel tank diving test. Each cohort was tested from the age of 6 weeks to the age of 24 weeks and measurements were performed every three weeks. In the open field test, we found an increase in the time spent in the center zone from 18 weeks onward, which could indicate altered exploration behavior. However, upon aging, the fish also showed an increased immobility frequency and duration. In addition, after the age of 15 weeks, their locomotion decreased. In the novel tank diving test, we did not observe this aging effect on locomotion or exploration. Killifish spent around 80% of their time in the bottom half of the tank, and we could not observe habituation effects, indicating slow habituation to novel environments. Moreover, we observed that killifish showed homebase behavior in both tests. These homebases are mostly located near the edges of the open field test and at the bottom of the novel tank diving test. Altogether, in the open field test, the largest impact of aging on locomotion and exploration was observed beyond the age of 15 weeks. In the novel tank diving test, no effect of age was found. Therefore, to test the effects of pharmacology on innate behavior, the novel tank diving test is ideally suited because there is no confounding effect of aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Mariën
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilayda Piskin
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Zandecki
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jolien Van houcke
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ruparelia AA, Salavaty A, Barlow CK, Lu Y, Sonntag C, Hersey L, Eramo MJ, Krug J, Reuter H, Schittenhelm RB, Ramialison M, Cox A, Ryan MT, Creek DJ, Englert C, Currie PD. The African killifish: A short-lived vertebrate model to study the biology of sarcopenia and longevity. Aging Cell 2024; 23:e13862. [PMID: 37183563 PMCID: PMC10776123 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Sarcopenia, the age-related decline in muscle function, places a considerable burden on health-care systems. While the stereotypic hallmarks of sarcopenia are well characterized, their contribution to muscle wasting remains elusive, which is partly due to the limited availability of animal models. Here, we have performed cellular and molecular characterization of skeletal muscle from the African killifish-an extremely short-lived vertebrate-revealing that while many characteristics deteriorate with increasing age, supporting the use of killifish as a model for sarcopenia research, some features surprisingly reverse to an "early-life" state in the extremely old stages. This suggests that in extremely old animals, there may be mechanisms that prevent further deterioration of skeletal muscle, contributing to an extension of life span. In line with this, we report a reduction in mortality rates in extremely old killifish. To identify mechanisms for this phenomenon, we used a systems metabolomics approach, which revealed that during aging there is a striking depletion of triglycerides, mimicking a state of calorie restriction. This results in the activation of mitohormesis, increasing Sirt1 levels, which improves lipid metabolism and maintains nutrient homeostasis in extremely old animals. Pharmacological induction of Sirt1 in aged animals was sufficient to induce a late life-like metabolic profile, supporting its role in life span extension in vertebrate populations that are naturally long-lived. Collectively, our results demonstrate that killifish are not only a novel model to study the biological processes that govern sarcopenia, but they also provide a unique vertebrate system to dissect the regulation of longevity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Avnika A. Ruparelia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health SciencesUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
- Centre for Muscle Research, Department of Anatomy and PhysiologyUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
| | - Adrian Salavaty
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Systems Biology Institute Australia, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Christopher K. Barlow
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMonash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics FacilityMonash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Yansong Lu
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Carmen Sonntag
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Lucy Hersey
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Matthew J. Eramo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMonash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Johannes Krug
- Leibniz Institute on Aging—Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)JenaGermany
| | - Hanna Reuter
- Leibniz Institute on Aging—Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)JenaGermany
| | - Ralf B. Schittenhelm
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMonash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics FacilityMonash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Mirana Ramialison
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Systems Biology Institute Australia, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Andrew Cox
- Peter MacCallum Cancer CentreMelbourneAustralia
- Department of Biochemistry and PharmacologyThe University of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
| | - Michael T. Ryan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMonash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Darren J. Creek
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics FacilityMonash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and DynamicsMonash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash UniversityParkvilleAustralia
| | - Christoph Englert
- Leibniz Institute on Aging—Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)JenaGermany
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Friedrich‐Schiller‐University JenaJenaGermany
| | - Peter D. Currie
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- EMBL Australia, Victorian NodeMonash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mitchell SJ, MacArthur MR, Kane AE. Optimizing preclinical models of ageing for translation to clinical trials. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2023. [PMID: 37675638 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.15902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Preclinical models have been the backbone of translational research for more than a century. Rats and mice are critical models in the preliminary stages of drug testing, both for determining efficacy and ruling out potential human-relevant toxicities. Historically, most preclinical pharmacological studies have used young, relatively healthy, inbred male models in highly controlled environments. In the field of geriatric pharmacology, there is a growing focus on the importance of using more appropriate preclinical models both in the testing of therapeutics commonly used in older populations, and in the evaluation of potential geroprotective drug candidates. Here we provide a commentary on optimizing preclinical models of ageing for translation to clinical trials. We will discuss approaches to modelling clinically relevant contexts such as age, sex, genetic diversity, exposures and environment, as well as measures of clinically relevant outcomes such as frailty and healthspan. We will identify the strengths and limitations of these approaches and areas for improvement. We will also briefly cover new preclinical models that move beyond rodents. We hope this commentary will be a springboard for larger discussions on optimizing preclinical ageing models for testing therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Mitchell
- Ludwig Princeton Branch, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Alice E Kane
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Astre G, Atlan T, Goshtchevsky U, Oron-Gottesman A, Smirnov M, Shapira K, Velan A, Deelen J, Levy T, Levanon EY, Harel I. Genetic perturbation of AMP biosynthesis extends lifespan and restores metabolic health in a naturally short-lived vertebrate. Dev Cell 2023; 58:1350-1364.e10. [PMID: 37321215 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
During aging, the loss of metabolic homeostasis drives a myriad of pathologies. A central regulator of cellular energy, the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), orchestrates organismal metabolism. However, direct genetic manipulations of the AMPK complex in mice have, so far, produced detrimental phenotypes. Here, as an alternative approach, we alter energy homeostasis by manipulating the upstream nucleotide pool. Using the turquoise killifish, we mutate APRT, a key enzyme in AMP biosynthesis, and extend the lifespan of heterozygous males. Next, we apply an integrated omics approach to show that metabolic functions are rejuvenated in old mutants, which also display a fasting-like metabolic profile and resistance to high-fat diet. At the cellular level, heterozygous cells exhibit enhanced nutrient sensitivity, reduced ATP levels, and AMPK activation. Finally, lifelong intermittent fasting abolishes the longevity benefits. Our findings suggest that perturbing AMP biosynthesis may modulate vertebrate lifespan and propose APRT as a promising target for promoting metabolic health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gwendoline Astre
- Department of Genetics, the Silberman Institute, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Tehila Atlan
- Department of Genetics, the Silberman Institute, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Uri Goshtchevsky
- Department of Genetics, the Silberman Institute, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Adi Oron-Gottesman
- Department of Genetics, the Silberman Institute, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Margarita Smirnov
- Central Fish Health Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nir David 10803, Israel
| | - Kobi Shapira
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Ariel Velan
- Department of Genetics, the Silberman Institute, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Joris Deelen
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne 50931, Germany; Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Ageing-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne 50931, Germany
| | - Tomer Levy
- Department of Genetics, the Silberman Institute, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Erez Y Levanon
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Itamar Harel
- Department of Genetics, the Silberman Institute, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Krug J, Perner B, Albertz C, Mörl H, Hopfenmüller VL, Englert C. Generation of a transparent killifish line through multiplex CRISPR/Cas9mediated gene inactivation. eLife 2023; 12:81549. [PMID: 36820520 PMCID: PMC10010688 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Body pigmentation is a limitation for in vivo imaging and thus for the performance of longitudinal studies in biomedicine. A possibility to circumvent this obstacle is the employment of pigmentation mutants, which are used in fish species like zebrafish and medaka. To address the basis of aging, the short-lived African killifish Nothobranchius furzeri has recently been established as a model organism. Despite its short lifespan, N. furzeri shows typical signs of mammalian aging including telomere shortening, accumulation of senescent cells, and loss of regenerative capacity. Here, we report the generation of a transparent N. furzeri line by the simultaneous inactivation of three key loci responsible for pigmentation. We demonstrate that this stable line, named klara, can serve as a tool for different applications including behavioral experiments and the establishment of a senescence reporter by integration of a fluorophore into the cdkn1a (p21) locus and in vivo microscopy of the resulting line.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Krug
- Molecular Genetics Lab, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)JenaGermany
| | - Birgit Perner
- Molecular Genetics Lab, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)JenaGermany
- Core Facility Imaging, Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)JenaGermany
| | - Carolin Albertz
- Molecular Genetics Lab, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)JenaGermany
| | - Hanna Mörl
- Molecular Genetics Lab, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)JenaGermany
| | - Vera L Hopfenmüller
- Molecular Genetics Lab, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)JenaGermany
| | - Christoph Englert
- Molecular Genetics Lab, Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI)JenaGermany
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Friedrich-Schiller-University JenaJenaGermany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Howell KJ, Walsh MR. Transplant experiments demonstrate that larger brains are favoured in high-competition environments in Trinidadian killifish. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:53-62. [PMID: 36262097 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The extent to which the evolution of a larger brain is adaptive remains controversial. Trinidadian killifish (Anablepsoides hartii) are found in sites that differ in predation intensity; fish that experience decreased predation and increased intraspecific competition exhibit larger brains. We evaluated the connection between brain size and fitness (survival and growth) when killifish are found in their native habitats and when fish are transplanted from sites with predators to high-competition sites that lack predators. Selection for a larger brain was absent within locally adapted populations. Conversely, there was a strong positive relationship between brain size and growth in transplanted but not resident fish in high-competition environments. We also observed significantly larger brain sizes in the transplanted fish that were recaptured at the end of the experiment versus those that were not. Our results provide experimental support that larger brains increase fitness and are favoured in high-competition environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn J Howell
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA
| | - Matthew R Walsh
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Montenegro-Rojas I, Yañez G, Skog E, Guerrero-Calvo O, Andaur-Lobos M, Dolfi L, Cellerino A, Cerda M, Concha ML, Bertocchi C, Rojas NO, Ravasio A, Rudge TJ. A computational framework for testing hypotheses of the minimal mechanical requirements for cell aggregation using early annual killifish embryogenesis as a model. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:959611. [PMID: 37020464 PMCID: PMC10067630 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.959611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Deciphering the biological and physical requirements for the outset of multicellularity is limited to few experimental models. The early embryonic development of annual killifish represents an almost unique opportunity to investigate de novo cellular aggregation in a vertebrate model. As an adaptation to seasonal drought, annual killifish employs a unique developmental pattern in which embryogenesis occurs only after undifferentiated embryonic cells have completed epiboly and dispersed in low density on the egg surface. Therefore, the first stage of embryogenesis requires the congregation of embryonic cells at one pole of the egg to form a single aggregate that later gives rise to the embryo proper. This unique process presents an opportunity to dissect the self-organizing principles involved in early organization of embryonic stem cells. Indeed, the physical and biological processes required to form the aggregate of embryonic cells are currently unknown. Methods: Here, we developed an in silico, agent-based biophysical model that allows testing how cell-specific and environmental properties could determine the aggregation dynamics of early Killifish embryogenesis. In a forward engineering approach, we then proceeded to test two hypotheses for cell aggregation (cell-autonomous and a simple taxis model) as a proof of concept of modeling feasibility. In a first approach (cell autonomous system), we considered how intrinsic biophysical properties of the cells such as motility, polarity, density, and the interplay between cell adhesion and contact inhibition of locomotion drive cell aggregation into self-organized clusters. Second, we included guidance of cell migration through a simple taxis mechanism to resemble the activity of an organizing center found in several developmental models. Results: Our numerical simulations showed that random migration combined with low cell-cell adhesion is sufficient to maintain cells in dispersion and that aggregation can indeed arise spontaneously under a limited set of conditions, but, without environmental guidance, the dynamics and resulting structures do not recapitulate in vivo observations. Discussion: Thus, an environmental guidance cue seems to be required for correct execution of early aggregation in early killifish development. However, the nature of this cue (e.g., chemical or mechanical) can only be determined experimentally. Our model provides a predictive tool that could be used to better characterize the process and, importantly, to design informed experimental strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Montenegro-Rojas
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Guillermo Yañez
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems (ICOS) Research Group, School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Skog
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Oscar Guerrero-Calvo
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Martin Andaur-Lobos
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luca Dolfi
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alessandro Cellerino
- BIO@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Mauricio Cerda
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Facultad de Medicina. Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Medical Informatics and Telemedicine, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Miguel L. Concha
- Integrative Biology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Facultad de Medicina. Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristina Bertocchi
- Laboratory for Molecular Mechanics of Cell Adhesion, Department of Physiology Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Nicolás O. Rojas
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrea Ravasio
- Laboratory for Mechanobiology of Transforming Systems, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- *Correspondence: Timothy J. Rudge, ; Andrea Ravasio,
| | - Timothy J. Rudge
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex Biosystems (ICOS) Research Group, School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Timothy J. Rudge, ; Andrea Ravasio,
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Bagnoli S, Fronte B, Bibbiani C, Terzibasi Tozzini E, Cellerino A. Quantification of noradrenergic-, dopaminergic-, and tectal-neurons during aging in the short-lived killifish Nothobranchius furzeri. Aging Cell 2022; 21:e13689. [PMID: 35986561 PMCID: PMC9470901 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by phosphorylation and aggregation of the protein α-Synuclein and ensuing neuronal death progressing from the noradrenergic locus coeruleus to midbrain dopaminergic neurons. In 2019, Matsui and colleagues reported a spontaneous age-dependent degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and an even greater neurodegeneration of the noradrenergic neurons in the short-lived killifish Nothobranchius furzeri. Given the great possible relevance of a spontaneous model for PD, we assessed neurodegeneration of noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurons in two further laboratory strains of N. furzeri. We implemented, for the first time in N. furzeri, a whole-brain clarification technique and proceeded to entire 3D nuclei reconstruction to quantify total cell numbers in two different stains of N. furzeri. In both strains, we observed that age-dependent neurodegeneration is limited to the locus coeruleus and does not involve the posterior tuberculum. We also applied 3D counting to the optic tectum, an area of active adult neurogenesis, and detected an increase of neurons with age. Our results confirm age-dependent neurodegeneration of noradrenergic neurons, a condition reminiscent of the presymptomatic stage of PD indicating that N. furzeri could be used in the future to identify modifying factors for age-dependent neurodegeneration and open the intriguing possibility that natural genetic variation may influence the susceptibility of dopaminergic neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Bagnoli
- Laboratory of Biology (BIO@SNS)Scuola Normale SuperiorePisaItaly
| | | | - Carlo Bibbiani
- Department of Veterinary SciencesUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Eva Terzibasi Tozzini
- Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms Dep. (BEOM)Stazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNaplesItaly
| | - Alessandro Cellerino
- Laboratory of Biology (BIO@SNS)Scuola Normale SuperiorePisaItaly,Leibniz Institute on AgingFritz Lipmann InstituteJenaGermany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Güçlü SS. The First Data on the Biology of Anatolichthys meridionalis (Actinopterygii, Aphaniidae): an Endemic and Endangered Fish of Turkey (Dalaman River Basin). Inland Water Biol 2022; 15:613-623. [PMID: 36268471 PMCID: PMC9568899 DOI: 10.1134/s1995082922050182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Species belonging to the Aphaniidae, extant as well as fossil, are widel distributed along the late-period Tethys Sea coast lines. Among the mentioned genera, Anatolichthys is the genus that includes the 13 species. Anatolia has been a center in the diversity of Anatolichthys. The study is one of the first studies on the growth of the species. On this occasion, in study, it was aimed to examine the growth parameters of the Anatolichthys meridionalis Akşiray, 1948 population, which is an endemic and endangered species in Anatolia. The population structure of endemic species Anatolichthys meridionalis in Gökpınar Spring (Dalaman River basin-Turkey) (37.34° N, 29.44° E) was studied, using 108 fish in October 2019 and September 2020. The growth and reproductive characteristics of A. meridionalis were examined in the study. Males made up 42.59%, females 57.41% of the population. The length-weight relationship and Von Bertalanffy growth equation were W = 0.0112L 3.4638, R 2 = 0.9793, L t = 22.97 (1 - e-0.0304 (t+2.834)), respectively. Average growth performance and condition factor are calculated as 1.21 and 1.84, respectively. The gonadosomatic index was found in a maximum value (12.742%) in July and a minimum value (0.545%) in January. Reproduction time was found to be in between of July and September. The mean fecundity and mean egg diameter were found as 147.94 ± 28.03 number/individual/year and 1.35 ± 0.04 mm, respectively. The first maturation was found to be at age I. First maturity length (L m) was estimated at 23.95 mm for females and 22.04 mm for males. Although the study shows that the species has no problem in finding food and is a population with a wide age range, the presence of invasive species in the habitat, the habitat is directly affected by pollution from agricultural activities, water is drawn by pumps for agricultural activities, and it is narrowly distributed and endangered species, A. meridionalis and its habitat Gökpınar Spring should be protected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Salim Serkan Güçlü
- Faculty of Eğirdir Fisheries, Isparta University of Applied Sciences, Isparta, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Beck EA, Healey HM, Small CM, Currey MC, Desvignes T, Cresko WA, Postlethwait JH. Advancing human disease research with fish evolutionary mutant models. Trends Genet 2022; 38:22-44. [PMID: 34334238 PMCID: PMC8678158 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2021.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Model organism research is essential to understand disease mechanisms. However, laboratory-induced genetic models can lack genetic variation and often fail to mimic the spectrum of disease severity. Evolutionary mutant models (EMMs) are species with evolved phenotypes that mimic human disease. EMMs complement traditional laboratory models by providing unique avenues to study gene-by-environment interactions, modular mutations in noncoding regions, and their evolved compensations. EMMs have improved our understanding of complex diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and aging, and illuminated mechanisms in many organs. Rapid advancements of sequencing and genome-editing technologies have catapulted the utility of EMMs, particularly in fish. Fish are the most diverse group of vertebrates, exhibiting a kaleidoscope of specialized phenotypes, many that would be pathogenic in humans but are adaptive in the species' specialized habitat. Importantly, evolved compensations can suggest avenues for novel disease therapies. This review summarizes current research using fish EMMs to advance our understanding of human disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Beck
- Data Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA; Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.
| | - Hope M Healey
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Clayton M Small
- Data Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA; Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Mark C Currey
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Thomas Desvignes
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - William A Cresko
- Data Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA; Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Louka A, Bagnoli S, Rupert J, Esapa B, Tartaglia GG, Cellerino A, Pastore A, Terzibasi Tozzini E. New lessons on TDP-43 from old N. furzeri killifish. Aging Cell 2022; 21:e13517. [PMID: 34939315 PMCID: PMC8761016 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are fatal and incurable neurodegenerative diseases linked to the pathological aggregation of the TDP-43 protein. This is an essential DNA/RNA-binding protein involved in transcription regulation, pre-RNA processing, and RNA transport. Having suitable animal models to study the mechanisms of TDP-43 aggregation is crucial to develop treatments against disease. We have previously demonstrated that the killifish Nothobranchius furzeri offers the advantage of being the shortest-lived vertebrate with a clear aging phenotype. Here, we show that the two N. furzeri paralogs of TDP-43 share high sequence homology with the human protein and recapitulate its cellular and biophysical behavior. During aging, N. furzeri TDP-43 spontaneously forms insoluble intracellular aggregates with amyloid characteristics and colocalizes with stress granules. Our results propose this organism as a valuable new model of TDP-43-related pathologies making it a powerful tool for the study of disease mechanism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Louka
- Department of Clinical and Basic Neuroscience King's College London UK‐DRI Centre at the Maurice Wohl Institute London UK
| | | | - Jakob Rupert
- Department of Clinical and Basic Neuroscience King's College London UK‐DRI Centre at the Maurice Wohl Institute London UK
- Universita' di Roma “La Sapienza” Rome Italy
| | - Benjamin Esapa
- Department of Clinical and Basic Neuroscience King's College London UK‐DRI Centre at the Maurice Wohl Institute London UK
| | | | - Alessandro Cellerino
- Bio@SNS Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa Italy
- Leibniz Institute on Aging Fritz Lipmann Institute Jena Germany
| | - Annalisa Pastore
- Department of Clinical and Basic Neuroscience King's College London UK‐DRI Centre at the Maurice Wohl Institute London UK
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility Grenoble France
| | - Eva Terzibasi Tozzini
- Bio@SNS Scuola Normale Superiore Pisa Italy
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN) Naples Italy
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Goldberg JF, Fraser DF, Lamphere BA, Reznick DN. Differential habitat use and recruitment facilitate coexistence in a community with intraguild predation. Ecology 2021; 103:e03558. [PMID: 34622952 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Theory predicts that species engaged in intraguild predation (IGP) can only coexist under limited conditions, yet IGP is common in nature. Habitat complexity can promote coexistence by reducing encounter rates, but little information is known about the contribution of differential habitat use. We hypothesized that differential use of alternative habitats promotes coexistence of an intraguild (IG) predator and prey. We evaluated predictions of this hypothesis with an experimental introduction of an IG predator fish into four natural stream communities that previously contained only the IG prey fish. We monitored the development of this IGP over the course of four years to determine how each species used alternative stream habitats. The introduced species preferred pool habitats while the resident species was more evenly distributed across pools and riffles. The density of the resident decreased in the pool habitat preferred by the invader, accompanied by a local increase in the mean of the resident size distribution. Selective predation by the invader on hatchling residents appears to impact the residents' demographic response. The continued recruitment of resident juveniles in riffles, where the introduced species is rare, facilitated the persistence of the resident. This differential use of habitats was not accompanied by a change in the resident's growth rates in either habitat. Our results showed that differential habitat selection and recruitment promoted persistence during an invasion involving IGP, which helps to bridge the gap between theory and observation in explaining coexistence in IGP systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua F Goldberg
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, California, 92521, USA
| | - Douglas F Fraser
- Department of Biology, Siena College, Loudonville, New York, 12211, USA
| | - Bradley A Lamphere
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Mary Washington, 1301 College Avenue, Fredericksburg, Virginia, 22401, USA
| | - David N Reznick
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, California, 92521, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Johnson LK, Sahasrabudhe R, Gill JA, Roach JL, Froenicke L, Brown CT, Whitehead A. Draft genome assemblies using sequencing reads from Oxford Nanopore Technology and Illumina platforms for four species of North American Fundulus killifish. Gigascience 2021; 9:5859380. [PMID: 32556169 PMCID: PMC7301629 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giaa067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whole-genome sequencing data from wild-caught individuals of closely related North American killifish species (Fundulus xenicus, Fundulus catenatus, Fundulus nottii, and Fundulus olivaceus) were obtained using long-read Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) PromethION and short-read Illumina platforms. FINDINGS Draft de novo reference genome assemblies were generated using a combination of long and short sequencing reads. For each species, the PromethION platform was used to generate 30-45× sequence coverage, and the Illumina platform was used to generate 50-160× sequence coverage. Illumina-only assemblies were fragmented with high numbers of contigs, while ONT-only assemblies were error prone with low BUSCO scores. The highest N50 values, ranging from 0.4 to 2.7 Mb, were from assemblies generated using a combination of short- and long-read data. BUSCO scores were consistently >90% complete using the Eukaryota database. CONCLUSIONS High-quality genomes can be obtained from a combination of using short-read Illumina data to polish assemblies generated with long-read ONT data. Draft assemblies and raw sequencing data are available for public use. We encourage use and reuse of these data for assembly benchmarking and other analyses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa K Johnson
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California. 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California. 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Ruta Sahasrabudhe
- DNA Technologies Core, Genome Center, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
| | - James Anthony Gill
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California. 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer L Roach
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California. 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Lutz Froenicke
- DNA Technologies Core, Genome Center, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
| | - C Titus Brown
- Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California. 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Whitehead
- Correspondence address. Andrew Whitehead, Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California. 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA, Davis, CA, USA. E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Aragona M, Porcino C, Guerrera MC, Montalbano G, Levanti M, Abbate F, Laurà R, Germanà A. Localization of Neurotrophin Specific Trk Receptors in Mechanosensory Systems of Killifish ( Nothobranchius guentheri). Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10411. [PMID: 34638748 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophins (NTs) and their signal-transducing Trk receptors play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of specific neuronal subpopulations in nervous and sensory systems. NTs are supposed to regulate two sensory systems in fish, the inner ear and the lateral line system (LLS). The latter is one of the major mechanosensory systems in fish. Considering that annual fishes of the genus Nothobranchius, with their short life expectancy, have become a suitable model for aging studies and that the occurrence and distribution of neurotrophin Trk receptors have never been investigated in the inner ear and LLS of killifish (Nothobranchius guentheri), our study aimed to investigate the localization of neurotrophin-specific Trk receptors in mechanosensory systems of N. guentheri. For histological and immunohistochemical analysis, adult specimens of N. guentheri were processed using antibodies against Trk receptors and S100 protein. An intense immunoreaction for TrkA and TrkC was found in the sensory cells of the inner ear as well as in the hair cells of LLS. Moreover, also the neurons localized in the acoustic ganglia displayed a specific immunoreaction for all Trk receptors (TrkA, B, and C) analyzed. Taken together, our results demonstrate, for the first time, that neurotrophins and their specific receptors could play a pivotal role in the biology of the sensory cells of the inner ear and LLS of N. guentheri and might also be involved in the hair cells regeneration process in normal and aged conditions.
Collapse
|
20
|
Nikiforov-Nikishin DL, Irkha VA, Kochetkov NI, Kalita TL, Nikiforov-Nikishin AL, Blokhin EE, Antipov SS, Makarenkov DA, Zhavnerov AN, Glebova IA, Smorodinskaya SV, Chebotarev SN. Some Aspects of Development and Histological Structure of the Visual System of Nothobranchius Guentheri. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:2755. [PMID: 34573720 PMCID: PMC8470241 DOI: 10.3390/ani11092755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In this, work some aspects of the development of the visual system of Nothobranchius guentheri at the main stages of ontogenesis were described for the first time. It was possible to establish that the formation of the visual system occurs similarly to other representatives of the order Cyprinodontiformes, but significantly differs in terms of the individual stages of embryogenesis due to the presence of diapause. In the postembryonic period, there is a further increase in the size of the fish's eyes and head, to the proportions characteristic of adult fish. The histological structure of the eye in adult N. guentheri practically does not differ from most teleost fish living in the same environmental conditions. The study of the structure of the retina showed the heterogeneity of the thickness of the temporal and nasal areas, which indicates the predominant role of peripheral vision. Morphoanatomical measurements of the body and eyes of N. guentheri showed that their correlation was conservative. This indicates an important role of the visual system for the survival of fish in natural conditions, both for the young and adults. In individuals of the older age group, a decrease in the amount of sodium (Na) and an increase in magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) were found in the eye lens. Such changes in the elemental composition of the lens can be a sign of the initial stage of cataractogenesis and disturbances in the metabolism of lens fibers as a result of aging. This allows us to propose N. guentheri as a model for studying the structure, formation, and aging of the visual and nervous systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry L. Nikiforov-Nikishin
- Institute of Biotechnology and Fisheries, Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (FCU), 73, Zemlyanoy Val Str., 109004 Moscow, Russia; (D.L.N.-N.); (T.L.K.); (A.L.N.-N.); (A.N.Z.); (I.A.G.); (S.V.S.)
| | - Vladimir A. Irkha
- Scientific Department, Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (FCU), 73, Zemlyanoy Val Str., 109004 Moscow, Russia; (V.A.I.); (S.S.A.)
| | - Nikita I. Kochetkov
- Institute of Biotechnology and Fisheries, Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (FCU), 73, Zemlyanoy Val Str., 109004 Moscow, Russia; (D.L.N.-N.); (T.L.K.); (A.L.N.-N.); (A.N.Z.); (I.A.G.); (S.V.S.)
| | - Tatyana L. Kalita
- Institute of Biotechnology and Fisheries, Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (FCU), 73, Zemlyanoy Val Str., 109004 Moscow, Russia; (D.L.N.-N.); (T.L.K.); (A.L.N.-N.); (A.N.Z.); (I.A.G.); (S.V.S.)
| | - Alexei L. Nikiforov-Nikishin
- Institute of Biotechnology and Fisheries, Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (FCU), 73, Zemlyanoy Val Str., 109004 Moscow, Russia; (D.L.N.-N.); (T.L.K.); (A.L.N.-N.); (A.N.Z.); (I.A.G.); (S.V.S.)
| | - Eduard E. Blokhin
- Federal Research Centre the Southern Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Science, Chekhova Ave., 41, 344006 Rostov-on-Don, Russia;
| | - Sergei S. Antipov
- Scientific Department, Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (FCU), 73, Zemlyanoy Val Str., 109004 Moscow, Russia; (V.A.I.); (S.S.A.)
- Department of Biophysics and Biotechnology, Voronezh State University, 1, University Square, 394063 Voronezh, Russia
| | - Dmitry A. Makarenkov
- Institute of Chemical Reagents and High Purity Chemical Substances of the National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Str. Bogorodsky Val, 3, 107076 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Alexey N. Zhavnerov
- Institute of Biotechnology and Fisheries, Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (FCU), 73, Zemlyanoy Val Str., 109004 Moscow, Russia; (D.L.N.-N.); (T.L.K.); (A.L.N.-N.); (A.N.Z.); (I.A.G.); (S.V.S.)
| | - Irina A. Glebova
- Institute of Biotechnology and Fisheries, Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (FCU), 73, Zemlyanoy Val Str., 109004 Moscow, Russia; (D.L.N.-N.); (T.L.K.); (A.L.N.-N.); (A.N.Z.); (I.A.G.); (S.V.S.)
| | - Svetlana V. Smorodinskaya
- Institute of Biotechnology and Fisheries, Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (FCU), 73, Zemlyanoy Val Str., 109004 Moscow, Russia; (D.L.N.-N.); (T.L.K.); (A.L.N.-N.); (A.N.Z.); (I.A.G.); (S.V.S.)
| | - Sergei N. Chebotarev
- Management Department, Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (FCU), 73, Zemlyanoy Val Str., 109004 Moscow, Russia;
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Sowersby W, Eckerström-Liedholm S, Rowiński PK, Balogh J, Eiler S, Upstone JD, Gonzalez-Voyer A, Rogell B. The relative effects of pace of life-history and habitat characteristics on the evolution of sexual ornaments: A comparative assessment. Evolution 2021; 76:114-127. [PMID: 34545942 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Selection may favor greater investment into sexual ornaments when opportunities for future reproduction are limited, for example, under high adult mortality. However, predation, a key driver of mortality, typically selects against elaborate sexual ornaments. Here, we examine the evolution of sexual ornaments in killifishes, which have marked contrasts in life-history strategy among species and inhabit environments that differ in accessibility to aquatic predators. We first assessed if the size of sexual ornaments (unpaired fins) influenced swimming performance. Second, we investigated whether the evolution of larger ornamental fins is driven primarily by the pace of life-history (investment into current vs. future reproduction) or habitat type (a proxy for predation risk). We found that larger fins negatively affected swimming performance. Further, males from species inhabiting ephemeral habitats, with lower predation risk, had larger fins and greater sexual dimorphism in fin size, compared to males from more accessible permanent habitats. We show that enlarged ornamental fins, which impair locomotion, evolve more frequently in environments that are less accessible to predators, without clear associations to life-history strategy. Our results provide a rare link between the evolution of sexual ornaments, effects on locomotion performance, and natural selection on ornament size potentially through habitat differences in predation risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Will Sowersby
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, SE-11418, Sweden.,Department of Biology and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, 558-8585, Japan
| | - Simon Eckerström-Liedholm
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, SE-11418, Sweden.,Wild Animal Initiative, Washington, D.C., 20010
| | - Piotr K Rowiński
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, SE-11418, Sweden
| | - Julia Balogh
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, SE-11418, Sweden
| | - Stefan Eiler
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, SE-11418, Sweden
| | - Joseph D Upstone
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, SE-11418, Sweden
| | - Alejandro Gonzalez-Voyer
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, SE-11418, Sweden.,Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México City, 04510, Mexico
| | - Björn Rogell
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, SE-11418, Sweden.,Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Drottningholm, SE-17893, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Okyere I, Obeng JA, Ayitey S, Van der Zee JR, Meeus H. Spawning habits and embryonic development of the banded lampeye killifish Aplocheilichthys spilauchen (Duméril 1861) in ex situ fresh and brackish water environments. J Fish Biol 2021; 99:411-417. [PMID: 33733481 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Aside from ornamental uses, there is growing interest in using killifishes for a multiplicity of purposes including baitfish and mosquito biocontrol. This experiment explored the spawning habits and embryonic development of the banded lampeye, Aplocheilichthys spilauchen in ex situ freshwater (0.04‰) and brackish water (5.01‰) to ascertain the captive breeding prospects for mosquito control in areas where they occur. Significantly higher number of eggs were laid in the brackish water than the freshwater (X2 = 1613.0, P < 0.05), and black mop was the most preferred spawning substrate, followed by green, blue and white mops. Microscopic monitoring of embryos revealed that cleavage occurred within the first 30 min after fertilization, organogenesis commenced on average in the 25th hour and hatching in approximately 230 h. Although freshwater eggs were relatively bigger than brackish water eggs and certain embryonic developmental stages occurred faster in the freshwater than brackish water, these differences were overall not significant and had no effects on the development and hatching. The observed outcome that A. spilauchen can be optimally propagated with black mops in brackish water offers a significant step in its use for the mosquito biocontrol programme, as well as other potential uses not yet explored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Okyere
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR), University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Juliet Afrah Obeng
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR), University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Samuel Ayitey
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | | | - Herman Meeus
- Belgian Killifish Association, Wommelgem, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Sowersby W, Eckerström-Liedholm S, Kotrschal A, Näslund J, Rowiński P, Gonzalez-Voyer A, Rogell B. Fast life-histories are associated with larger brain size in killifishes. Evolution 2021; 75:2286-2298. [PMID: 34270088 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The high energetic demands associated with the vertebrate brain are proposed to result in a trade-off between the pace of life-history and relative brain size. However, because both life-history and brain size also have a strong relationship with body size, any associations between the pace of life-history and relative brain size may be confounded by coevolution with body size. Studies on systems where contrasts in the pace of life-history occur without concordant contrasts in body size could therefore add to our understanding of the potential coevolution between relative brain size and life-history. Using one such system - 21 species of killifish - we employed a common garden design across two ontogenetic stages to investigate the association between relative brain size and the pace of life-history. Contrary to predictions, we found that relative brain size was larger in adult fast-living killifishes, compared to slow-living species. Although we found no differences in relative brain size between juvenile killifishes. Our results suggest that fast- and slow-living killifishes do not exhibit the predicted trade-off between brain size and life-history. Instead, fast and slow-living killifishes could differ in the ontogenetic timing of somatic versus neural growth or inhabit environments that differ considerably in cognitive demands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Will Sowersby
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Biology, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Simon Eckerström-Liedholm
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Wild Animal Initiative, Farmington, Minnesota, USA
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Animal Sciences: Behavioural Ecology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Joacim Näslund
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Drottningholm, Sweden
| | - Piotr Rowiński
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alejandro Gonzalez-Voyer
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, Mexico
| | - Björn Rogell
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Drottningholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Bagnoli S, Terzibasi Tozzini E. Age-Dependent Regulation of Notch Family Members in the Neuronal Stem Cell Niches of the Short-Lived Killifish Nothobranchius furzeri. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:640958. [PMID: 34307342 PMCID: PMC8299727 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.640958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The annual killifish Nothobranchius furzeri is a new experimental model organism in biology, since it represents the vertebrate species with the shortest captive life span and also shows the fastest maturation and senescence recorded in the laboratory. Here, we use this model to investigate the age-dependent decay of neurogenesis in the telencephalon (brain region sharing the same embryonic origin with the mammalian adult niches), focusing on the expression of the Notch pathway genes. Results: We observed that the major ligands/receptors of the pathway showed a negative correlation with age, indicating age-dependent downregulation of the Notch pathway. Moreover, expression of notch1a was clearly limited to active neurogenic niches and declined during aging, without changing its regional patterning. Expression of notch3 is not visibly influenced by aging. Conclusion: Both expression pattern and regulation differ between notch1a and notch3, with the former being limited to mitotically active regions and reduced by aging and the latter being present in all cells with a neurogenic potential, regardless of the level of their actual mitotic activity, and so is less influenced by age. This finally suggests a possible differential role of the two receptors in the regulation of the niche proliferative potential throughout the entire fish life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Bagnoli
- Laboratory of Biology (BIO@SNS), Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
| | - Eva Terzibasi Tozzini
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Cui R, Tyers AM, Malubhoy ZJ, Wisotsky S, Valdesalici S, Henriette E, Kosakovsky Pond SL, Valenzano DR. Ancestral transoceanic colonization and recent population reduction in a nonannual killifish from the Seychelles archipelago. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:3610-3623. [PMID: 33998095 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Whether freshwater fish colonize remote islands following tectonic or transoceanic dispersal remains an evolutionary puzzle. Integrating dating of known tectonic events with phylogenomics and current species distribution, we find that killifish species distribution is not explained by species dispersal by tectonic drift only. Investigating the colonization of a nonannual killifish (golden panchax, Pachypanchax playfairii) on the Seychelle islands, we found genetic support for transoceanic dispersal and experimentally discovered an adaptation to complete tolerance to seawater. At the macroevolutionary scale, despite their long-lasting isolation, nonannual golden panchax show stronger genome-wide purifying selection than annual killifishes from continental Africa. However, progressive decline in effective population size over a more recent timescale has probably led to the segregation of slightly deleterious mutations across golden panchax populations, which represents a potential threat for species preservation in the long term.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rongfeng Cui
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany.,School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | | | - Sadie Wisotsky
- Department of Biology, Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine, Temple University, Temple, CA, USA
| | | | - Elvina Henriette
- Island Biodiversity Conservation Centre, University of Seychelles, Anse Royale, Mahe, Seychelles
| | - Sergei L Kosakovsky Pond
- Department of Biology, Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine, Temple University, Temple, CA, USA
| | - Dario Riccardo Valenzano
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Cologne, Germany.,CECAD, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Van Houcke J, Mariën V, Zandecki C, Seuntjens E, Ayana R, Arckens L. Modeling Neuroregeneration and Neurorepair in an Aging Context: The Power of a Teleost Model. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:619197. [PMID: 33816468 PMCID: PMC8012675 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.619197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging increases the risk for neurodegenerative disease and brain trauma, both leading to irreversible and multifaceted deficits that impose a clear societal and economic burden onto the growing world population. Despite tremendous research efforts, there are still no treatments available that can fully restore brain function, which would imply neuroregeneration. In the adult mammalian brain, neuroregeneration is naturally limited, even more so in an aging context. In view of the significant influence of aging on (late-onset) neurological disease, it is a critical factor in future research. This review discusses the use of a non-standard gerontology model, the teleost brain, for studying the impact of aging on neurorepair. Teleost fish share a vertebrate physiology with mammals, including mammalian-like aging, but in contrast to mammals have a high capacity for regeneration. Moreover, access to large mutagenesis screens empowers these teleost species to fill the gap between established invertebrate and rodent models. As such, we here highlight opportunities to decode the factor age in relation to neurorepair, and we propose the use of teleost fish, and in particular killifish, to fuel new research in the neuro-gerontology field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jolien Van Houcke
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Valerie Mariën
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Zandecki
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eve Seuntjens
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rajagopal Ayana
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lutgarde Arckens
- Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neuroproteomics, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Bradshaw WJ, Valenzano DR. Extreme genomic volatility characterizes the evolution of the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus in cyprinodontiform fishes. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200489. [PMID: 32396805 PMCID: PMC7287348 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of the adaptive immune system has provided vertebrates with a uniquely sophisticated immune toolkit, enabling them to mount precise immune responses against a staggeringly diverse range of antigens. Like other vertebrates, teleost fishes possess a complex and functional adaptive immune system; however, our knowledge of the complex antigen-receptor genes underlying its functionality has been restricted to a small number of experimental and agricultural species, preventing systematic investigation into how these crucial gene loci evolve. Here, we analyse the genomic structure of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) gene loci in the cyprinodontiforms, a diverse and important group of teleosts present in many different habitats across the world. We reconstruct the complete IGH loci of the turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) and the southern platyfish (Xiphophorus maculatus) and analyse their in vivo gene expression, revealing the presence of species-specific splice isoforms of transmembrane IGHM. We further characterize the IGH constant regions of 10 additional cyprinodontiform species, including guppy, Amazon molly, mummichog and mangrove killifish. Phylogenetic analysis of these constant regions suggests multiple independent rounds of duplication and deletion of the teleost-specific antibody class IGHZ in the cyprinodontiform lineage, demonstrating the extreme volatility of IGH evolution. Focusing on the cyprinodontiforms as a model taxon for comparative evolutionary immunology, this work provides novel genomic resources for studying adaptive immunity and sheds light on the evolutionary history of the adaptive immune system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William J. Bradshaw
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 296, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- CECAD Research Center, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| | - Dario Riccardo Valenzano
- Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 296, 50937 Cologne, Germany
- CECAD Research Center, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 26, 50937 Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Collar DC, Thompson JS, Ralston TC, Hobbs TJ. Fast-start escape performance across temperature and salinity gradients in mummichog Fundulus heteroclitus. J Fish Biol 2020; 96:755-767. [PMID: 32010969 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Fast-start predator-escape performance of mummichogs Fundulus heteroclitus was tested across field-informed variation in temperature (24, 30 and 36°C) and salinity (2, 12 and 32 ppt). Performance was similar across temperatures and salinities when fish were allowed to acclimate to these conditions. However, when mummichogs experienced acute temperature changes, performance exhibited thermal dependence in two contrasting ways. Fast-start turning rates and linear speeds varied directly with the temperature at which the manoeuvre was executed, but these aspects of performance varied inversely with acclimation temperature, with cool-acclimated fish exhibiting faster starts across test temperatures. Temperature effects were consistent across salinities. These results suggest that while mummichogs increase performance with acute temperature increases, long-term rises in sea temperature may cause these fish to become more susceptible to predation during abrupt cooling events, such as when storm events flood shallow water estuaries with cool rainwater.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David C Collar
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, USA
| | - Jessica S Thompson
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, USA
| | - Tyler C Ralston
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, USA
| | - Trevor J Hobbs
- Department of Organismal and Environmental Biology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Coolen M, Labusch M, Mannioui A, Bally-Cuif L. Mosaic Heterochrony in Neural Progenitors Sustains Accelerated Brain Growth and Neurogenesis in the Juvenile Killifish N. furzeri. Curr Biol 2020; 30:736-745.e4. [PMID: 32004451 PMCID: PMC7040570 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.12.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 11/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Although developmental mechanisms driving an increase in brain size during vertebrate evolution are actively studied, we know less about evolutionary strategies allowing accelerated brain growth. In zebrafish and other vertebrates studied to date, apical radial glia (RG) constitute the primary neurogenic progenitor population throughout life [1]; thus, RG activity is a determining factor of growth speed. Here, we ask whether enhanced RG activity is the mechanism selected to drive explosive growth, in adaptation to an ephemeral habitat. In post-hatching larvae of the turquoise killifish, which display drastic developmental acceleration, we show that the dorsal telencephalon (pallium) grows three times faster than in zebrafish. Rather than resulting from enhanced RG activity, we demonstrate that pallial growth is the product of a second type of progenitors (that we term NGPs for non-glial progenitors) that actively sustains neurogenesis and germinal zone self-renewal. Intriguingly, NGPs appear to retain, at larval stages, features of early embryonic progenitors. In parallel, RGs enter premature quiescence and express markers of astroglial function. Altogether, we propose that mosaic heterochrony within the neural progenitor population might permit rapid pallial growth by safeguarding both continued neurogenesis and astroglial function. Two types of apical progenitors exist in the pallium of the fast-growing killifish Killifish pallial RGs enter precociously into an adult-like quiescent state NGPs, both self-renewing and neurogenic, resemble early neuroepithelial progenitors Mosaic heterochrony among progenitors sustains rapid killifish pallial growth
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marion Coolen
- Zebrafish Neurogenetics Unit, Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Department, Institut Pasteur, UMR3738, CNRS, 25 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France.
| | - Miriam Labusch
- Zebrafish Neurogenetics Unit, Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Department, Institut Pasteur, UMR3738, CNRS, 25 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Collège doctoral, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Abdelkrim Mannioui
- Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Aquatic Facility, Sorbonne Université, 7 quai Saint Bernard, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Laure Bally-Cuif
- Zebrafish Neurogenetics Unit, Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Department, Institut Pasteur, UMR3738, CNRS, 25 rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Barbosa C, Garcez DK, Volcan MV, Robe LJ. Evidences for genetic differentiation within the highly endemic and endangered annual fish Austrolebias nigrofasciatus (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae). J Fish Biol 2020; 96:154-167. [PMID: 31713869 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Samples of Austrolebias nigrofasciatus (n = 103), an endangered species of annual fish endemic to a small area of the Patos-Mirim lagoon system encompassing the São Gonçalo Channel lowlands, were collected from eight isolated temporary ponds, four located at the known distribution range of the species and four located along the Piratini River lowlands, where morphologically different individuals were found. In the laboratory, fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (coI), cytochrome b (cytb) and nuclear rhodopsin (rho) genes were amplified, purified and sequenced for 100, 99 and 58 of these individuals, respectively. Samples were further analysed using phylogenetic and phylogeographic methods to evaluate the patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation presented within and between populations, while assessing their evolutionary history, in order to guide the application of further conservation strategies. We found that the four new populations from the Piratini River lowlands encompass a different lineage of A. nigrofasciatus that diverged from that encountered in the São Gonçalo Channel at approximately 0.165 M years before present, during a population expansion and did not yet attain reciprocal monophyly. This divergence was associated with a glacial event that was preceded by an interglacial period putatively associated with the dispersal. Moreover, significant levels of genetic differentiation and a high number of exclusive haplotypes could be encountered even in micro-geographical scales, as in the comparisons between populations located within the same major lineage, indicating each of them may encompass independent management units. Conservation actions are certainly urgent, especially in the face of signs of a recent bottleneck.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Crislaine Barbosa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PPGBAC), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Brazil
| | - Daiana K Garcez
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PPGBAC), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Brazil
| | - Matheus V Volcan
- Laboratório de Ictiologia, Instituto Pró-Pampa, Rua Uruguay, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Lizandra J Robe
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PPGBAC), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Brazil
- Departamento de Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Cattelan S, Griggio M. Within-shoal phenotypic homogeneity affects shoaling preference in a killifish. Biol Lett 2019; 14:rsbl.2018.0293. [PMID: 30089660 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-predator benefits associated with living in groups are multiple and taxonomically widespread. In fish shoals, individuals can exploit the confusion effect, whereby predators struggle to target a single individual among several individuals. Theory predicts that the confusion effect could be aided by homogeneity in appearance; thus, individuals should group by phenotypic characteristics, contributing to generating high within-shoal phenotypic homogeneity. While assortments by body size have been extensively documented, almost nothing is known about whether within-shoal homogeneity in body pigmentation affects shoaling preference. To investigate this issue, we used the Mediterranean killifish, Aphanius fasciatus, a shoaling species characterized by conspicuous vertical bars on body sides. Individual females were given a choice between two novel shoals characterized by either a high or low degree of homogeneity in the number of bars. As predicted, individual females preferentially associated with the shoal showing the higher phenotypic homogeneity. Our data demonstrated that fish might associate with the shoal that maximizes phenotypic homogeneity in body pigmentation, irrespective of their own phenotype.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Matteo Griggio
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Simon TN, Binderup AJ, Flecker AS, Gilliam JF, Marshall MC, Thomas SA, Travis J, Reznick DN, Pringle CM. Landscape patterns in top-down control of decomposition: omnivory disrupts a tropical detrital-based trophic cascade. Ecology 2019; 100:e02723. [PMID: 30973962 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Detrital-based trophic cascades are often considered weak or absent in tropical stream ecosystems because of the prevalence of omnivorous macroconsumers and the dearth of leaf-shredding insects. In this study, we isolate top-down effects of three macroconsumer species on detrital processing in headwater streams draining Trinidad's northern mountains. We separated effects of different macroconsumers by experimentally manipulating their temporal access to isolated benthic habitat over the diel cycle. We found no evidence that omnivorous macroconsumers, including a freshwater crab (Eudaniela garmani) and guppy (Poecilia reticulata), increased leaf decomposition via consumption. By contrast, above a waterfall excluding guppies, the insectivorous killifish, Anablepsoides hartii, reduced the biomass of the leaf-shredding insect Phylloicus hansoni 4-fold, which consequently reduced leaf decomposition rates 1.6-fold. This detrital cascade did not occur below the barrier waterfall, where omnivorous guppies join the assemblage and reduce killifish densities; here killifish had no significant effects on Phylloicus or decomposition rates. These patterns of detrital processing were also observed in upstream-downstream comparisons in a landscape study across paired reaches of six streams. Above waterfalls, where killifish were present, but guppies absent, leaf decomposition rates and Phylloicus biomass were 2.5- and ~35-fold lower, respectively, compared to measurements below waterfalls. Moreover, the strength of top-down control by killifish is reflected by the 20- and 5-fold reductions in variability (±SE) surrounding mean Phylloicus biomass and leaf decomposition rates in upstream relative to downstream reaches where no top-down control was detected. Findings show a clear, detrital-based trophic cascade among killifish, a leaf-shredding insect, and leaf decomposition rates. Results also show how omnivorous guppies disrupt this cascade by depressing killifish densities, thereby releasing invertebrate shredders from predation, and significantly increasing decomposition rates. Moreover, this combination of direct and indirect trophic interactions drives patterns in decomposition rates in stream networks at a landscape scale, resulting in significantly lower rates of decomposition above vs. below barrier waterfalls. Our findings reveal that omnivory can result in significant indirect effects on a key ecosystem process, illustrating the importance of these hidden trophic pathways in detrital-based systems and suggesting that resource control in tropical systems may be even more complex than previously envisioned.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Troy N Simon
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA.,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Andrew J Binderup
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Alex S Flecker
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
| | - James F Gilliam
- Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695, USA
| | - Michael C Marshall
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Steven A Thomas
- School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68583, USA
| | - Joseph Travis
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306, USA
| | - David N Reznick
- Department of Biology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, California, 92521, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Sims KC, Schwendinger KL, Szymkowicz DB, Swetenburg JR, Bain LJ. Embryonic arsenic exposure reduces intestinal cell proliferation and alters hepatic IGF mRNA expression in killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus). J Toxicol Environ Health A 2019; 82:142-156. [PMID: 30729860 PMCID: PMC6397093 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2019.1571465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic (As) is a toxicant found in food and water throughout the world, and studies suggested that exposure early in life reduces growth. Thus, the goal of this study was to examine mechanisms by which As impacted organismal growth. Killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) were exposed to 0, 10, 50, or 200 ppb As as embryos and, after hatching, were reared in clean water for up to 40 weeks. Metabolism studies revealed that killifish biotransform As such that monomethylated and dimethylated arsenicals account for 15-17% and 45-61%, respectively, of the total metal. Growth, as measured by condition factor (CF), was significantly and dose-dependently reduced at 8 weeks of age but was similar to controls by 40 weeks. To determine mechanisms underlying the observed initial decrease, intestinal proliferation and morphology were examined. Arsenic-exposed fish exhibited significant 1.3- to 1.5-fold reduction in intestinal villus height and 1.4- to 1.6-fold decrease in proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA+) intestinal cells at all weeks examined. In addition, there were significant correlations between CF, PCNA+ cells, and intestinal villus height. Upon examining whether fish might compensate for the intestinal changes, it was found that hepatic mRNA expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and its binding protein (IGFBP-1) were dose-dependently increased. These results indicate that embryonic exposure initially diminished growth, and while intestinal cell proliferation remained reduced, fish appear to compensate by enhancing transcript levels of hepatic IGF-1 and IGFBP-1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaleigh C. Sims
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | | | - Dana B. Szymkowicz
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | | | - Lisa J. Bain
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Lema SC, Carvalho PG, Egelston JN, Kelly JT, McCormick SD. Dynamics of Gene Expression Responses for Ion Transport Proteins and Aquaporins in the Gill of a Euryhaline Pupfish during Freshwater and High-Salinity Acclimation. Physiol Biochem Zool 2019; 91:1148-1171. [PMID: 30334669 DOI: 10.1086/700432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Pupfishes (genus Cyprinodon) evolved some of the broadest salinity tolerances of teleost fishes, with some taxa surviving in conditions from freshwater to nearly 160 ppt. In this study, we examined transcriptional dynamics of ion transporters and aquaporins in the gill of the desert Amargosa pupfish (Cyprinodon nevadensis amargosae) during rapid salinity change. Pupfish acclimated to 7.5 ppt were exposed to freshwater (0.3 ppt), seawater (35 ppt), or hypersaline (55 ppt) conditions over 4 h and sampled at these salinities over 14 d. Plasma osmolality and Cl- concentration became elevated 8 h after the start of exposure to 35 or 55 ppt but returned to baseline levels after 14 d. Osmolality recovery was paralleled by increased gill Na+/K+-ATPase activity and higher relative levels of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) encoding cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (cftr) and Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransporter-1 (nkcc1). Transcripts encoding one Na+-HCO3- cotransporter-1 isoform (nbce1.1) also increased in the gills at higher salinities, while a second isoform (nbce1.2) increased expression in freshwater. Pupfish in freshwater also had lower osmolality and elevated gill mRNAs for Na+/H+ exchanger isoform-2a (nhe2a) and V-type H+-ATPase within 8 h, followed by increases in Na+/H+ exchanger-3 (nhe3), carbonic anhydrase 2 (ca2), and aquaporin-3 (aqp3) within 1 d. Gill mRNAs for Na+/Cl- cotransporter-2 (ncc2) also were elevated 14 d after exposure to 0.3 ppt. These results offer insights into how coordinated transcriptional responses for ion transporters in the gill facilitate reestablishment of osmotic homeostasis after changes in environmental salinity and provide evidence that the teleost gill expresses two Na+-HCO3- cotransporter-1 isoforms with different roles in freshwater and seawater acclimation.
Collapse
|
35
|
Abstract
The African turquoise killifish has recently gained significant traction as a new research organism in the aging field. Our understanding of aging has strongly benefited from canonical research organisms—yeast, C. elegans, Drosophila, zebrafish, and mice. Many characteristics that are essential to understand aging—for example, the adaptive immune system or the hypothalamo‐pituitary axis—are only present in vertebrates (zebrafish and mice). However, zebrafish and mice live more than 3 years and their relatively long lifespans are not compatible with high‐throughput studies. Therefore, the turquoise killifish, a vertebrate with a naturally compressed lifespan of only 4–6 months, fills an essential gap to understand aging. With a recently developed genomic and genetic toolkit, the turquoise killifish not only provides practical advantages for lifespan and longitudinal experiments, but also allows more systematic characterizations of the interplay between genetics and environment during vertebrate aging. Interestingly, the turquoise killifish can also enter a long‐term dormant state during development called diapause. Killifish embryos in diapause already have some organs and tissues, and they can last in this state for years, exhibiting exceptional resistance to stress and to damages due to the passage of time. Understanding the diapause state could give new insights into strategies to prevent the damage caused by aging and to better preserve organs, tissues, and cells. Thus, the African turquoise killifish brings two interesting aspects to the aging field—a compressed lifespan and a long‐term resistant diapause state, both of which should spark new discoveries in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Kuo Hu
- Department of Genetics; Stanford University; Stanford CA USA
| | - Anne Brunet
- Department of Genetics; Stanford University; Stanford CA USA
- Glenn Laboratories for the Biology of Aging; Stanford CA USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Cavraro F, Gheno G, Ganzerla R, Zucchetta M, Franzoi P, Malavasi S. Habitat constraints on carotenoid-based coloration in a small euryhaline teleost. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:4422-4430. [PMID: 29760884 PMCID: PMC5938449 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Revised: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Display of bright and striking color patterns is a widespread way of communication in many animal species. Carotenoid‐based coloration accounts for most of the bright yellow, orange, and red displays in invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds, being widely considered a signal of individual health. This type of coloration is under the influence of several factors, such as sexual selection, predator pressure, pigment availability, and light transmission. Fish offer numerous examples of visual communication by means of color patterns. We used a small cyprinodontid fish, Aphanius fasciatus (Valenciennes, 1821), as a model species to assess habitat constraints on the color display in male caudal fin. Populations from natural and open/closed artificial habitats were tested for differences in the pigmentation of caudal fins. The most important factors explaining the intensity of coloration were the habitat type and the chlorophyll concentration in the sediment, followed by water turbidity; yellow fins were observed in natural habitats with low chlorophyll concentration and high water turbidity, while orange fins occurred in artificial habitats with high chlorophyll concentration and low turbidity. Furthermore, A. fasciatus in artificial habitats showed a higher somatic and a lower reproductive allotment with respect to natural habitats, according to the existing literature on the species. Furthermore, in closed artificial habitats, where the most intense reddish coloration of caudal fins was observed, a trade‐off between somatic growth and the coloration intensity of a carotenoid‐based sexual ornament has been observed; in these populations, intensity of caudal fin coloration was negatively related to the somatic allotment. Results of this study suggested how both the pigmentation of male's caudal fin and the life history strategies of the species are constrained by habitat characteristics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Cavraro
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics Ca' Foscari University Venice Venezia Mestre Italy
| | - Giulia Gheno
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems Ca' Foscari University Venice Venezia Mestre Italy
| | - Renzo Ganzerla
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems Ca' Foscari University Venice Venezia Mestre Italy
| | - Matteo Zucchetta
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics Ca' Foscari University Venice Venezia Mestre Italy
| | - Piero Franzoi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics Ca' Foscari University Venice Venezia Mestre Italy
| | - Stefano Malavasi
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics Ca' Foscari University Venice Venezia Mestre Italy
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Api M, Biondi P, Olivotto I, Terzibasi E, Cellerino A, Carnevali O. Effects of Parental Aging During Embryo Development and Adult Life: The Case of Nothobranchius furzeri. Zebrafish 2018; 15:112-123. [PMID: 29304310 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2017.1494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies on parental aging are a very attractive field, although it is poorly understood how parental age affects embryonic development and adult traits of the offspring. In this study, we used the turquoise killifish Nothobranchius furzeri, as is the vertebrate with shortest captive lifespan and an interesting model. The embryos of N. furzeri can follow two distinct developmental pathways either entering diapause or proceeding through direct development. Thus, this embryonic plasticity allows this model to be used to study different factors that could affect their embryonic development, including parental age. The first goal of the present study was to investigate whether parental aging could affect the embryo development. To do this, we collected F1 embryos from two breeder groups (old parents and young parents). We monitored the duration of embryonic development and analyzed genes involved in dorsalization process. The second goal was to investigate if embryonic developmental plasticity could be modulated by an epigenetic process. To this end, the expression of DNMTs genes was examined. Our data support the hypothesis that diapause, occurring more frequently in embryos from old parents, is associated with increased expression of DNMT3A and DNMT3B suggesting an epigenetic control. Finally, we analyzed whether parental age could affect metabolism and growth during adult life. Morphometric results and qPCR analysis of genes from IGF system showed a slower growth in adults from old breeders. Moreover, a gender-specificity effect on growth emerged. In conclusion, these results may contribute to the better understanding of the complex mechanism of aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martina Api
- 1 Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche , Ancona, Italy
| | - Piera Biondi
- 1 Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche , Ancona, Italy
| | - Ike Olivotto
- 1 Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche , Ancona, Italy
| | | | | | - Oliana Carnevali
- 1 Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche , Ancona, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Krysanov E, Demidova T, Nagy B. Divergent karyotypes of the annual killifish genus Nothobranchius (Cyprinodontiformes, Nothobranchiidae). Comp Cytogenet 2016; 10:439-445. [PMID: 27830051 PMCID: PMC5088354 DOI: 10.3897/compcytogen.v10i3.9863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 08/18/2016] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Karyotypes of two species of the African annual killifish genus Nothobranchius Peters, 1868, Nothobranchius brieni Poll, 1938 and Nothobranchius sp. from Kasenga (D.R. Congo) are described. Both species displayed diploid chromosome number 2n = 49/50 for males and females respectively with multiple-sex chromosome system type X1X2Y/X1X1X2X2. The karyotypes of studied species are considerably different from those previously reported for the genus Nothobranchius and similar to the Actinopterygii conservative karyotype.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eugene Krysanov
- Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, Moscow, 119071 Russia
| | - Tatiana Demidova
- Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, Moscow, 119071 Russia
| | - Bela Nagy
- 30, rue du Mont Ussy, 77300 Fontainebleau, France
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Walsh MR, Broyles W, Beston SM, Munch SB. Predator-driven brain size evolution in natural populations of Trinidadian killifish (Rivulus hartii). Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:20161075. [PMID: 27412278 PMCID: PMC4947895 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrates exhibit extensive variation in relative brain size. It has long been assumed that this variation is the product of ecologically driven natural selection. Yet, despite more than 100 years of research, the ecological conditions that select for changes in brain size are unclear. Recent laboratory selection experiments showed that selection for larger brains is associated with increased survival in risky environments. Such results lead to the prediction that increased predation should favour increased brain size. Work on natural populations, however, foreshadows the opposite trajectory of evolution; increased predation favours increased boldness, slower learning, and may thereby select for a smaller brain. We tested the influence of predator-induced mortality on brain size evolution by quantifying brain size variation in a Trinidadian killifish, Rivulus hartii, from communities that differ in predation intensity. We observed strong genetic differences in male (but not female) brain size between fish communities; second generation laboratory-reared males from sites with predators exhibited smaller brains than Rivulus from sites in which they are the only fish present. Such trends oppose the results of recent laboratory selection experiments and are not explained by trade-offs with other components of fitness. Our results suggest that increased male brain size is favoured in less risky environments because of the fitness benefits associated with faster rates of learning and problem-solving behaviour.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Walsh
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Whitnee Broyles
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Shannon M Beston
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Stephan B Munch
- National Marine Fisheries Service, 110 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Tatarenkov A, Mesak F, Avise JC. Complete mitochondrial genome of a self-fertilizing fish Kryptolebias marmoratus (Cyprinodontiformes, Rivulidae) from Florida. Mitochondrial DNA A DNA Mapp Seq Anal 2015; 28:244-245. [PMID: 26710713 DOI: 10.3109/19401736.2015.1115861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The complete mitochondrial genome was sequenced in a mangrove rivulus Kryptolebias marmoratus from western Florida using next-generation sequencing. The 17 329 bp-long genome was identical in length and 99.8% similar to a previously published genome of this species from a specimen of unknown geographic origin. Gene arrangement in K. marmoratus is similar to other cyprinodontiform fishes, except for the presence of a second copy of the control region inserted upstream of the nad1 gene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Tatarenkov
- a Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology , University of California , Irvine , CA , USA
| | - Felix Mesak
- a Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology , University of California , Irvine , CA , USA
| | - John C Avise
- a Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology , University of California , Irvine , CA , USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Abstract
Host behavioural modification by parasites is a common and well-documented phenomenon. However, knowledge on the complexity and specificity of the underlying mechanisms is limited, and host specificity among manipulating parasites has rarely been experimentally verified. We tested the hypothesis that the ability to infect and manipulate host behaviour is restricted to phylogenetically closely related hosts. Our model system consisted of the brain-encysting trematode Euhaplorchis sp. A and six potential fish intermediate hosts from the Order Cyprinodontiformes. Five co-occurring cyprinids were examined for naturally acquired brain infections. Then we selected three species representing three levels of taxonomic relatedness to a known host to experimentally evaluate their susceptibility to infection, and the effect of infection status on behaviours presumably linked to increased trophic transmission. We found natural brain infections of Euhaplorchis sp. A metacercariae in three cyprinids in the shallow sublittoral zone. Of the three experimentally exposed species, Fundulus grandis and Poecilia latipinna acquired infections and displayed an elevated number of conspicuous behaviours in comparison with uninfected controls. Euhaplorchis sp. A was able to infect and manipulate fish belonging to two different families, suggesting that ecological similarity rather than genetic relatedness determines host range in this species.
Collapse
|
42
|
Lucas-Sánchez A, Almaida-Pagán PF, Mendiola P, de Costa J. Nothobranchius as a model for aging studies. A review. Aging Dis 2014; 5:281-91. [PMID: 25110612 PMCID: PMC4113518 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2014.0500281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2013] [Revised: 12/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, the increase in human longevity has made it increasingly important to expand our knowledge on aging. To accomplish this, the use of animal models is essential, with the most common being mouse (phylogenetically similar to humans, and a model with a long life expectancy) and Caenorhabditis elegans (an invertebrate with a short life span, but quite removed from us in evolutionary terms). However, some sort of model is needed to bridge the differences between those mentioned above, achieving a balance between phylogenetic distance and life span. Fish of the genus Nothobranchius were suggested 10 years ago as a possible alternative for the study of the aging process. In the meantime, numerous studies have been conducted at different levels: behavioral (including the study of the rest-activity rhythm), populational, histochemical, biochemical and genetic, among others, with very positive results. This review compiles what we know about Nothobranchius to date, and examines its future prospects as a true alternative to the classic models for studies on aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pilar Mendiola
- Department of Physiology. Faculty of Biology. University of Murcia. 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Jorge de Costa
- Department of Physiology. Faculty of Biology. University of Murcia. 30100 Murcia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Souza ER, Ribeiro LB, Feldberg E, Hrbek IPFT, Gross MC. CompCytogen of two of the smallest Amazonian fishes: Fluviphylax simplex Costa, 1996 and Fluviphylax zonatus Costa, 1996 (Cyprinodontiformes, Poeciliidae). Comp Cytogenet 2011; 5:411-422. [PMID: 24260645 PMCID: PMC3833765 DOI: 10.3897/compcytogen.v5i5.1562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2011] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The genus Fluviphylax Whitley, 1965is comprized of five valid species (Fluviphylax pygmaeus Myers et Carvalho, 1955, Fluviphylax zonatus, Fluviphylax simplex, Fluviphylax obscurus Costa, 1996,and Fluviphylax palikur Costa et Le Bail, 1999), which are endemic to the Amazon region. These fishes are the smallest known South American vertebrates and among the smallest know vertebrates on Earth. All species but the type Fluviphylax pygmaeus have been described in late 1990's, and much remains unknown about the biology, taxonomy and systematics of this group of fishes. The aims of the present study were to establish the diploid and haploid number of Fluviphylax zonatus and Fluviphylax simplex, and to find species-specific markers for the discrimination of taxa. The diploid number for both species was 48 chromosomes, with no sex chromosome heteromorphism. Fluviphylax zonatus exhibited the karyotypic formula 4m+8sm+22st+14a and FN=82, and Fluviphylax simplex exhibited 4m+16sm+18st+10a and FN=86. The determination of the total mean length of the chromosomes and their grouping into five size classes demonstrated different chromosome composition of the two species. This difference was further supported by the distribution of constitutive heterochromatin. The meiotic analysis revealed 24 bivalents in both species, but Fluviphylax zonatus exhibited chromosomes with late pairing of the telomeric portions in the pachytene. These data reveal that cytogenetic characterization is useful and important for the discrimination of these species. Our study further indicates that this method could be employed in the analysis of other species of small fishes that are difficult to distinguish using traditional morphological traits or are morphologically cryptic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E R Souza
- Laboratório de Evolução e Genética Animal, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Valenzano DR, Sharp S, Brunet A. Transposon-Mediated Transgenesis in the Short-Lived African Killifish Nothobranchius furzeri, a Vertebrate Model for Aging. G3 (Bethesda) 2011; 1:531-8. [PMID: 22384364 DOI: 10.1534/g3.111.001271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2011] [Accepted: 10/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The African killifish Nothobranchius furzeri is the shortest-lived vertebrate that can be bred in captivity. N. furzeri comprises several wild-derived strains with striking differences in longevity ranging from 3 to 9 months, which makes it a powerful vertebrate model for aging research. The short life cycle of N. furzeri should also facilitate studies on adult traits that are specific to vertebrates. Although progress has been made to generate a genetic linkage map and to start sequencing the genome of N. furzeri, tools to genetically manipulate this species of fish have not yet been developed. Here, we report the first establishment of transgenesis in N. furzeri. We use the Tol2 transposase system to generate transgenic N. furzeri that express green fluorescent protein driven by the Xenopus cytoskeletal actin promoter or the zebrafish heat-shock protein 70 promoter. We successfully generate stable transgenic lines of N. furzeri with germline transmission of integrated transgene. The development of transgenesis in N. furzeri provides a powerful tool to investigate the mechanisms underlying aging and longevity in a short-lived vertebrate model. Transgenesis in this fish will also facilitate the study of other phenotypes, including adult tissue regeneration and cognitive behavior.
Collapse
|
45
|
Bugel SM, White LA, Cooper KR. Decreased vitellogenin inducibility and 17β-estradiol levels correlated with reduced egg production in killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) from Newark Bay, NJ. Aquat Toxicol 2011; 105:1-12. [PMID: 21684236 PMCID: PMC4798252 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2011.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2011] [Revised: 03/03/2011] [Accepted: 03/22/2011] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic species inhabiting polluted estuaries are exposed to complex mixtures of xenobiotics which can alter normal reproduction. We previously reported that female Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) from the highly contaminated Newark Bay, NJ (USA) exhibited an inhibition of oocyte development due to reduced vitellogenin (egg-yolk precursor) levels. Our hypothesis was that the inhibition of oocyte development in Newark Bay killifish is due to (1) deficient levels of circulating 17β-estradiol, and (2) a decreased sensitivity of the vitellogenin pathway to physiological doses of 17β-estradiol. In the first study, adult naïve killifish from Tuckerton, NJ (reference) were caged at Tuckerton and Newark Bay. After 1 month, males caged at Newark Bay exhibited inductions of hepatic vitellogenin and estrogen receptor α, which were transient and returned to basal levels after 2 months (p≤0.05). In the second study, fecundity and 17β-estradiol levels were measured in reproductively active adult females from Tuckerton and Newark Bay. Tuckerton females produced 140 eggs per female and Newark Bay females produced 11 eggs per female. Embryos from Newark Bay had 34% greater mortality and 28% less hatch, relative to Tuckerton. In addition, embryo mass and yolk-volume of Newark Bay embryos compared to Tuckerton embryos was 16% and 25% lower, respectively. Circulating 17β-estradiol levels in Newark Bay females (0.26 ng/mL) were measured to be 8-fold lower than Tuckerton females (2.25 ng/mL). In the third study, adult killifish from both sites were dosed with 17β-estradiol to assess the sensitivity of the vitellogenin pathway. At doses of 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 ng/g body weight, induction levels of circulating vitellogenin in Newark Bay males were significantly inhibited by 97, 99, 98 and 44%, respectively, compared to Tuckerton males. At doses of 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 ng/g body weight, induction levels of circulating vitellogenin in Newark Bay females were inhibited by 89, 79, 61, 40 and 30%, respectively, compared to Tuckerton females. These differences in inducibility could not be explained by altered hepatic expression of estrogen receptors α, βa or βb. Based on the caged and dose-response studies, contaminants that down-regulate vitellogenin would interfere with its ability to be used as a biomarker for xeno-estrogen exposures. These studies demonstrate that contaminants within Newark Bay exert both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic responses which results in an overtly anti-estrogenic phenotype (reduced egg production due to inhibition of vitellogenesis).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sean M. Bugel
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Department of Environmental Sciences
| | - Lori A. White
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology
| | - Keith R. Cooper
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology
- Corresponding author contact information: 76 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, , Phone: (732) 932-9763, Fax: (732) 932-8965
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Greytak SR, Tarrant AM, Nacci D, Hahn ME, Callard GV. Estrogen responses in killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) from polluted and unpolluted environments are site- and gene-specific. Aquat Toxicol 2010; 99:291-299. [PMID: 20570371 PMCID: PMC2907899 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2010.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2010] [Revised: 04/30/2010] [Accepted: 05/12/2010] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological, ecological, and laboratory-based studies support the hypothesis that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment are responsible for developmental and reproductive abnormalities. We have previously described a killifish population resident in a highly polluted Superfund site (New Bedford Harbor, NBH) that shows evidence of exposure to an estrogenic environment and endocrine disruption. Here, we compare NBH with a local reference population (Scorton Creek, SC) for developmental patterns and direct effects of exogenous estradiol on the estrogenic markers, brain cytochrome P450 aromatase (CYP19A2 or AroB), hepatic vitellogenin (Vtg), and hepatic estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha). In contrast to our previous observation of elevated ER alpha in NBH embryos, developmental levels of AroB and Vtg mRNAs did not differ between the two sites, demonstrating that not all estrogen-responsive genes are upregulated in NBH embryos. A dose-response experiment showed that NBH larvae are less responsive (lower maximum induction, as measured by ER alpha) and less sensitive (higher EC(50) for induction, as measured by AroB) to estradiol than SC larvae, changes that would be adaptive in an estrogenic environment. In contrast, induction of Vtg mRNA is similar in the two populations, indicating that the adaptive mechanism is target gene-specific. Based on the lower basal levels of ER alpha mRNA in several tissues from adult NBH fish vs SC fish (Greytak and Callard, 2007), we predicted estrogen hyporesponsiveness; however, induction of ER alpha by estradiol exposure in reproductively inactive males did not differ between the two sites. Moreover, AroB was more responsive and Vtg induction was greater (2d) or similar (5d) in NBH as compared to SC males. Worth noting is the high inter-individual variability in estrogen responses of gene targets, especially in NBH killifish, which may indicate evolving preadaptive or adaptive mechanisms. In conclusion, although multi-generational exposure to a highly polluted environment is associated with changes in basal levels of ER alpha mRNA, this is not a simple predictor of estrogen responsiveness. We hypothesize that adaptation of killifish to the estrogenic and polluted environment may be occurring through diverse mechanisms that are gene-, tissue type- and life-stage-specific.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ann M. Tarrant
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA 02543, USA
| | - Diane Nacci
- Atlantic Ecology Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett RI 02879
| | - Mark E. Hahn
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA 02543, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Abstract
1. Transepithelial transport of a fluorescent derivative of octreotide (NBD-octreotide) was studied in freshly isolated, functionally intact renal proximal tubules from killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus). 2. Drug accumulation in the tubular lumen was visualized by means of confocal microscopy and was measured by image analysis. Secretion of NBD-octreotide into the tubular lumen was demonstrated and exhibited the all characteristics of specific and energy-dependent transport. Steady state luminal fluorescence averaged about five times cellular fluorescence and was reduced to cellular levels when metabolism was inhibited by NaCN. 3. NBD-octreotide secretion was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by unlabelled octreotide, verapamil and leukotriene C(4) (LTC(4)). Conversely, unlabelled octreotide reduced in a concentration dependent manner the p-glycoprotein (Pgp)-mediated secretion of a fluorescent cyclosporin A derivative (NBDL-CS) and the mrp2-mediated secretion of fluorescein methotrexate (FL-MTX). 4. This inhibition was not due to impaired metabolism or toxicity since octreotide had no influence on the active transport of fluorescein (FL), a substrate for the classical renal organic anion transport system. 5. The data are consistent with octreotide being transported across the brush border membrane of proximal kidney tubules by both Pgp and mrp2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heike Gutmann
- Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Salsbury Cove, Maine, ME, 04672 U.S.A
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Research, University Clinic (Kantonsspital), Basel, Switzerland
| | - David S Miller
- Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Salsbury Cove, Maine, ME, 04672 U.S.A
- National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, U.S.A
| | - Agathe Droulle
- Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Salsbury Cove, Maine, ME, 04672 U.S.A
- Lycee Roosevelt, 51100 Reims, France
| | - Jürgen Drewe
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine and Department of Research, University Clinic (Kantonsspital), Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alfred Fahr
- Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Salsbury Cove, Maine, ME, 04672 U.S.A
- Institute for Pharmaceutics and Biopharmacy, University of Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Gert Fricker
- Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Salsbury Cove, Maine, ME, 04672 U.S.A
- Institute for Pharmaceutics and Biopharmacy, University of Heidelberg, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Author for correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|