1
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Sternberg PW, Van Auken K, Wang Q, Wright A, Yook K, Zarowiecki M, Arnaboldi V, Becerra A, Brown S, Cain S, Chan J, Chen WJ, Cho J, Davis P, Diamantakis S, Dyer S, Grigoriadis D, Grove CA, Harris T, Howe K, Kishore R, Lee R, Longden I, Luypaert M, Müller HM, Nuin P, Quinton-Tulloch M, Raciti D, Schedl T, Schindelman G, Stein L. WormBase 2024: status and transitioning to Alliance infrastructure. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae050. [PMID: 38573366 PMCID: PMC11075546 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae050] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
WormBase has been the major repository and knowledgebase of information about the genome and genetics of Caenorhabditis elegans and other nematodes of experimental interest for over 2 decades. We have 3 goals: to keep current with the fast-paced C. elegans research, to provide better integration with other resources, and to be sustainable. Here, we discuss the current state of WormBase as well as progress and plans for moving core WormBase infrastructure to the Alliance of Genome Resources (the Alliance). As an Alliance member, WormBase will continue to interact with the C. elegans community, develop new features as needed, and curate key information from the literature and large-scale projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul W Sternberg
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Kimberly Van Auken
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Qinghua Wang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Adam Wright
- Informatics and Bio-computing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G0A3, Canada
| | - Karen Yook
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Magdalena Zarowiecki
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Valerio Arnaboldi
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Andrés Becerra
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Stephanie Brown
- School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Scott Cain
- Informatics and Bio-computing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G0A3, Canada
| | - Juancarlos Chan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Wen J Chen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Jaehyoung Cho
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Paul Davis
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Stavros Diamantakis
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Sarah Dyer
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | | | - Christian A Grove
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Todd Harris
- Informatics and Bio-computing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G0A3, Canada
| | - Kevin Howe
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Ranjana Kishore
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Raymond Lee
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Ian Longden
- Informatics and Bio-computing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G0A3, Canada
| | - Manuel Luypaert
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Hans-Michael Müller
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Paulo Nuin
- Informatics and Bio-computing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G0A3, Canada
| | - Mark Quinton-Tulloch
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Daniela Raciti
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Tim Schedl
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Gary Schindelman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering 140-18, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Lincoln Stein
- Informatics and Bio-computing Platform, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON M5G0A3, Canada
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2
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Rutherford KM, Lera-Ramírez M, Wood V. PomBase: a Global Core Biodata Resource-growth, collaboration, and sustainability. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae007. [PMID: 38376816 PMCID: PMC11075564 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae007] [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: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
PomBase (https://www.pombase.org), the model organism database (MOD) for fission yeast, was recently awarded Global Core Biodata Resource (GCBR) status by the Global Biodata Coalition (GBC; https://globalbiodata.org/) after a rigorous selection process. In this MOD review, we present PomBase's continuing growth and improvement over the last 2 years. We describe these improvements in the context of the qualitative GCBR indicators related to scientific quality, comprehensivity, accelerating science, user stories, and collaborations with other biodata resources. This review also showcases the depth of existing connections both within the biocuration ecosystem and between PomBase and its user community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim M Rutherford
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Manuel Lera-Ramírez
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Valerie Wood
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
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3
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Baldarelli RM, Smith CL, Ringwald M, Richardson JE, Bult CJ. Mouse Genome Informatics: an integrated knowledgebase system for the laboratory mouse. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae031. [PMID: 38531069 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae031] [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: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) is a federation of expertly curated information resources designed to support experimental and computational investigations into genetic and genomic aspects of human biology and disease using the laboratory mouse as a model system. The Mouse Genome Database (MGD) and the Gene Expression Database (GXD) are core MGI databases that share data and system architecture. MGI serves as the central community resource of integrated information about mouse genome features, variation, expression, gene function, phenotype, and human disease models acquired from peer-reviewed publications, author submissions, and major bioinformatics resources. To facilitate integration and standardization of data, biocuration scientists annotate using terms from controlled metadata vocabularies and biological ontologies (e.g. Mammalian Phenotype Ontology, Mouse Developmental Anatomy, Disease Ontology, Gene Ontology, etc.), and by applying international community standards for gene, allele, and mouse strain nomenclature. MGI serves basic scientists, translational researchers, and data scientists by providing access to FAIR-compliant data in both human-readable and compute-ready formats. The MGI resource is accessible at https://informatics.jax.org. Here, we present an overview of the core data types represented in MGI and highlight recent enhancements to the resource with a focus on new data and functionality for MGD and GXD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Carol J Bult
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
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4
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Telmer CA, Karimi K, Chess MM, Agalakov S, Arshinoff BI, Lotay V, Wang DZ, Chu S, Pells TJ, Vize PD, Hinman VF, Ettensohn CA. Echinobase: a resource to support the echinoderm research community. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae002. [PMID: 38262680 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae002] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Echinobase (www.echinobase.org) is a model organism knowledgebase serving as a resource for the community that studies echinoderms, a phylum of marine invertebrates that includes sea urchins and sea stars. Echinoderms have been important experimental models for over 100 years and continue to make important contributions to environmental, evolutionary, and developmental studies, including research on developmental gene regulatory networks. As a centralized resource, Echinobase hosts genomes and collects functional genomic data, reagents, literature, and other information for the community. This third-generation site is based on the Xenbase knowledgebase design and utilizes gene-centric pages to minimize the time and effort required to access genomic information. Summary gene pages display gene symbols and names, functional data, links to the JBrowse genome browser, and orthology to other organisms and reagents, and tabs from the Summary gene page contain more detailed information concerning mRNAs, proteins, diseases, and protein-protein interactions. The gene pages also display 1:1 orthologs between the fully supported species Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (purple sea urchin), Lytechinus variegatus (green sea urchin), Patiria miniata (bat star), and Acanthaster planci (crown-of-thorns sea star). JBrowse tracks are available for visualization of functional genomic data from both fully supported species and the partially supported species Anneissia japonica (feather star), Asterias rubens (sugar star), and L. pictus (painted sea urchin). Echinobase serves a vital role by providing researchers with annotated genomes including orthology, functional genomic data aligned to the genomes, and curated reagents and data. The Echinoderm Anatomical Ontology provides a framework for standardizing developmental data across the phylum, and knowledgebase content is formatted to be findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable by the research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl A Telmer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kamran Karimi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Macie M Chess
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Sergei Agalakov
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Bradley I Arshinoff
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Vaneet Lotay
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Dong Zhuo Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Stanley Chu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Troy J Pells
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Peter D Vize
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Veronica F Hinman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Charles A Ettensohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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5
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Dayal S, Chaubey D, Joshi DC, Ranmale S, Pillai B. Noncoding RNAs: Emerging regulators of behavioral complexity. Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA 2024; 15:e1847. [PMID: 38702948 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1847] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
The mammalian genome encodes thousands of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), ranging in size from about 20 nucleotides (microRNAs or miRNAs) to kilobases (long non-coding RNAs or lncRNAs). ncRNAs contribute to a layer of gene regulation that could explain the evolution of massive phenotypic complexity even as the number of protein-coding genes remains unaltered. We propose that low conservation, poor expression, and highly restricted spatiotemporal expression patterns-conventionally considered ncRNAs may affect behavior through direct, rapid, and often sustained regulation of gene expression at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, or translational levels. Besides these direct roles, their effect during neurodevelopment may manifest as behavioral changes later in the organism's life, especially when exposed to environmental cues like stress and seasonal changes. The lncRNAs affect behavior through diverse mechanisms like sponging of miRNAs, recruitment of chromatin modifiers, and regulation of alternative splicing. We highlight the need for synthesis between rigorously designed behavioral paradigms in model organisms and the wide diversity of behaviors documented by ethologists through field studies on organisms exquisitely adapted to their environmental niche. Comparative genomics and the latest advancements in transcriptomics provide an unprecedented scope for merging field and lab studies on model and non-model organisms to shed light on the role of ncRNAs in driving the behavioral responses of individuals and groups. We touch upon the technical challenges and contentious issues that must be resolved to fully understand the role of ncRNAs in regulating complex behavioral traits. This article is categorized under: Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanovar Dayal
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Divya Chaubey
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Dheeraj Chandra Joshi
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Samruddhi Ranmale
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, India
| | - Beena Pillai
- CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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6
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Sit B, Lamason RL. Pathogenic Rickettsia spp. as emerging models for bacterial biology. J Bacteriol 2024; 206:e0040423. [PMID: 38315013 PMCID: PMC10883807 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00404-23] [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] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of free-living bacterial models like Escherichia coli far outpaces that of obligate intracellular bacteria, which cannot be cultured axenically. All obligate intracellular bacteria are host-associated, and many cause serious human diseases. Their constant exposure to the distinct biochemical niche of the host has driven the evolution of numerous specialized bacteriological and genetic adaptations, as well as innovative molecular mechanisms of infection. Here, we review the history and use of pathogenic Rickettsia species, which cause an array of vector-borne vascular illnesses, as model systems to probe microbial biology. Although many challenges remain in our studies of these organisms, the rich pathogenic and biological diversity of Rickettsia spp. constitutes a unique backdrop to investigate how microbes survive and thrive in host and vector cells. We take a bacterial-focused perspective and highlight emerging insights that relate to new host-pathogen interactions, bacterial physiology, and evolution. The transformation of Rickettsia spp. from pathogens to models demonstrates how recalcitrant microbes may be leveraged in the lab to tap unmined bacterial diversity for new discoveries. Rickettsia spp. hold great promise as model systems not only to understand other obligate intracellular pathogens but also to discover new biology across and beyond bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Sit
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rebecca L. Lamason
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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7
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Sun J, Noss S, Banerjee D, Das M, Girirajan S. Strategies for dissecting the complexity of neurodevelopmental disorders. Trends Genet 2024; 40:187-202. [PMID: 37949722 PMCID: PMC10872993 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.10.009] [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: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are associated with a wide range of clinical features, affecting multiple pathways involved in brain development and function. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing have unveiled numerous genetic variants associated with NDDs, which further contribute to disease complexity and make it challenging to infer disease causation and underlying mechanisms. Herein, we review current strategies for dissecting the complexity of NDDs using model organisms, induced pluripotent stem cells, single-cell sequencing technologies, and massively parallel reporter assays. We further highlight single-cell CRISPR-based screening techniques that allow genomic investigation of cellular transcriptomes with high efficiency, accuracy, and throughput. Overall, we provide an integrated review of experimental approaches that can be applicable for investigating a broad range of complex disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawan Sun
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Serena Noss
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Deepro Banerjee
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Maitreya Das
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Santhosh Girirajan
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Bioinformatics and Genomics Graduate Program, The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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8
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Rioux DJ, Prosser DC. A CIE change in our understanding of endocytic mechanisms. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1334798. [PMID: 38192364 PMCID: PMC10773762 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1334798] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The past six decades have seen major advances in our understanding of endocytosis, ranging from descriptive studies based on electron microscopy to biochemical and genetic characterization of factors required for vesicle formation. Most studies focus on clathrin as the major coat protein; indeed, clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is the primary pathway for internalization. Clathrin-independent (CIE) pathways also exist, although mechanistic understanding of these pathways remains comparatively elusive. Here, we discuss how early studies of CME shaped our understanding of endocytosis and describe recent advances in CIE, including pathways in model organisms that are poised to provide key insights into endocytic regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Rioux
- Life Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Derek C. Prosser
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
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9
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Renaud M, Joeng KS, Rochefort GY. Editorial: Model organisms and experimental models: opportunities and challenges in musculoskeletal physiology. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1346490. [PMID: 38148900 PMCID: PMC10749919 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1346490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Renaud
- Faculty Odontology, Tours University, Tours, France
- Department of Medicine and Bucco-Dental Surgery, Tours University Hospital, Tours, France
- N2C U1069 INSERM, Tours University, Tours, France
- Bioengineering Biomodulation and Imaging of the Orofacial Sphere, 2Bios, Tours University, Tours, France
| | - Kyu Sang Joeng
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Gael Y. Rochefort
- Faculty Odontology, Tours University, Tours, France
- N2C U1069 INSERM, Tours University, Tours, France
- Bioengineering Biomodulation and Imaging of the Orofacial Sphere, 2Bios, Tours University, Tours, France
- iBrain U1253 INSEM, Tours University, Tours, France
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10
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Tessier TM, King CR, Mymryk JS. Exploiting the endogenous yeast nuclear proteome to identify short linear motifs in vivo. Cell Rep Methods 2023; 3:100637. [PMID: 37949066 PMCID: PMC10694487 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100637] [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: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Peptide-domain interactions mediated by short linear motifs (SLiMs) play crucial roles in cellular biology. The simplicity of SLiMs poses challenges in their computational identification. Existing high-throughput methods for discovering SLiMs lack cellular context as they are typically performed in vitro. We developed a functional selection method using yeast to identify peptides that interact with the endogenous yeast nuclear proteome. Remarkably, peptides selected for in yeast also mediated nuclear import in human cells. Notably, the identified peptides did not resemble classical nuclear localization sequences. This platform has the potential to identify and investigate motifs that interact with the nuclear proteome of yeast and human and to aid in the identification and understanding of alternative protein nuclear import mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanner M Tessier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Cason R King
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Joe S Mymryk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Oncology, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Otolaryngology, Western University, London, ON, Canada; London Regional Cancer Program, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.
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11
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Lera-Ramírez M, Bähler J, Mata J, Rutherford K, Hoffman CS, Lambert S, Oliferenko S, Martin SG, Gould KL, Du LL, Sabatinos SA, Forsburg SL, Nielsen O, Nurse P, Wood V. Revised fission yeast gene and allele nomenclature guidelines for machine readability. Genetics 2023; 225:iyad143. [PMID: 37758508 PMCID: PMC10627252 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad143] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Standardized nomenclature for genes, gene products, and isoforms is crucial to prevent ambiguity and enable clear communication of scientific data, facilitating efficient biocuration and data sharing. Standardized genotype nomenclature, which describes alleles present in a specific strain that differ from those in the wild-type reference strain, is equally essential to maximize research impact and ensure that results linking genotypes to phenotypes are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR). In this publication, we extend the fission yeast clade gene nomenclature guidelines to support the curation efforts at PomBase (www.pombase.org), the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Model Organism Database. This update introduces nomenclature guidelines for noncoding RNA genes, following those set forth by the Human Genome Organisation Gene Nomenclature Committee. Additionally, we provide a significant update to the allele and genotype nomenclature guidelines originally published in 1987, to standardize the diverse range of genetic modifications enabled by the fission yeast genetic toolbox. These updated guidelines reflect a community consensus between numerous fission yeast researchers. Adoption of these rules will improve consistency in gene and genotype nomenclature, and facilitate machine-readability and automated entity recognition of fission yeast genes and alleles in publications or datasets. In conclusion, our updated guidelines provide a valuable resource for the fission yeast research community, promoting consistency, clarity, and FAIRness in genetic data sharing and interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Lera-Ramírez
- University College London, Department of Genetics Evolution and Environment, Darwin Building, 99-105 Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Jürg Bähler
- University College London, Department of Genetics Evolution and Environment, Darwin Building, 99-105 Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Juan Mata
- University of Cambridge, Department of Biochemistry, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | - Kim Rutherford
- University of Cambridge, Department of Biochemistry, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
| | | | - Sarah Lambert
- Institut Curie, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS UMR3348, Orsay 91400, France
| | - Snezhana Oliferenko
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Sophie G Martin
- University of Geneva, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Geneva 1211, Switzerland
| | - Kathleen L Gould
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Li-Lin Du
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Sarah A Sabatinos
- Toronto Metropolitan University, Department of Chemistry & Biology, Toronto M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Susan L Forsburg
- Molecular and Computational Biology Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Olaf Nielsen
- Department of Biology, Cell cycle and genome stability Group, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N DK2100, Denmark
| | - Paul Nurse
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Valerie Wood
- University of Cambridge, Department of Biochemistry, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK
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12
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Corrà S, Checchetto V, Brischigliaro M, Rampazzo C, Bottani E, Gagliani C, Cortese K, De Pittà C, Roverso M, De Stefani D, Bogialli S, Zeviani M, Viscomi C, Szabò I, Costa R. Drosophila Mpv17 forms an ion channel and regulates energy metabolism. iScience 2023; 26:107955. [PMID: 37810222 PMCID: PMC10558772 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107955] [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: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in MPV17 are a major contributor to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion syndromes, a group of inherited genetic conditions due to mtDNA instability. To investigate the role of MPV17 in mtDNA maintenance, we generated and characterized a Drosophila melanogaster Mpv17 (dMpv17) KO model showing that the absence of dMpv17 caused profound mtDNA depletion in the fat body but not in other tissues, increased glycolytic flux and reduced lifespan in starvation. Accordingly, the expression of key genes of glycogenolysis and glycolysis was upregulated in dMpv17 KO flies. In addition, we demonstrated that dMpv17 formed a channel in planar lipid bilayers at physiological ionic conditions, and its electrophysiological hallmarks were affected by pathological mutations. Importantly, the reconstituted channel translocated uridine but not orotate across the membrane. Our results indicate that dMpv17 forms a channel involved in translocation of key metabolites and highlight the importance of dMpv17 in energy homeostasis and mitochondrial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Corrà
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Emanuela Bottani
- Department of Diagnostic and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Cristina Gagliani
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Katia Cortese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | | | - Marco Roverso
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Diego De Stefani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Sara Bogialli
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Massimo Zeviani
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- IRCCS Materno Infantile Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Carlo Viscomi
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Ildiko Szabò
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Costa
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Padova, Italy
- Chronobiology Section, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
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13
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D'Aniello S, Bertrand S, Escriva H. Amphioxus as a model to study the evolution of development in chordates. eLife 2023; 12:e87028. [PMID: 37721204 PMCID: PMC10506793 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87028] [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: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cephalochordates and tunicates represent the only two groups of invertebrate chordates, and extant cephalochordates - commonly known as amphioxus or lancelets - are considered the best proxy for the chordate ancestor, from which they split around 520 million years ago. Amphioxus has been an important organism in the fields of zoology and embryology since the 18th century, and the morphological and genomic simplicity of cephalochordates (compared to vertebrates) makes amphioxus an attractive model for studying chordate biology at the cellular and molecular levels. Here we describe the life cycle of amphioxus, and discuss the natural histories and habitats of the different species of amphioxus. We also describe their use as laboratory animal models, and discuss the techniques that have been developed to study different aspects of amphioxus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore D'Aniello
- Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms (BEOM), Stazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNapoliItaly
| | - Stephanie Bertrand
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), Observatoire OcéanologiqueBanyuls-sur-MerFrance
| | - Hector Escriva
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM), Observatoire OcéanologiqueBanyuls-sur-MerFrance
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14
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Xiong Q, Eichinger L. Model Organisms to Study Autophagy. Cells 2023; 12:2212. [PMID: 37759435 PMCID: PMC10526943 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182212] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is the major lysosomal pathway for the clearance of proteins, organelles and microbes in eukaryotic cells. Therefore, autophagic dysfunction can lead to numerous human diseases, like cancer or neurodegeneration, and may facilitate infections by pathogens. However, despite tremendous advances in the understanding of autophagy over the past decades, the functions and regulations of autophagy-related proteins in canonical and non-canonical autophagy are still not fully resolved. The Special Issue "Model Organisms to Study Autophagy" organized by Cells includes six original articles and one review that show the latest achievements in autophagy research using different model organisms. The Special Issue summarizes and discusses different aspects of autophagy that open new avenues in understanding autophagy functions and mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuhong Xiong
- Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanxi University, No. 92 Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Ludwig Eichinger
- Center for Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 52, 50931 Cologne, Germany
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15
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Pradhan UK, Meher PK, Naha S, Sharma NK, Agarwal A, Gupta A, Parsad R. DBPMod: a supervised learning model for computational recognition of DNA-binding proteins in model organisms. Brief Funct Genomics 2023:elad039. [PMID: 37651627 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elad039] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA-binding proteins (DBPs) play critical roles in many biological processes, including gene expression, DNA replication, recombination and repair. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes depends on the precise identification of DBPs. In recent times, several computational methods have been developed to identify DBPs. However, because of the generic nature of the models, these models are unable to identify species-specific DBPs with higher accuracy. Therefore, a species-specific computational model is needed to predict species-specific DBPs. In this paper, we introduce the computational DBPMod method, which makes use of a machine learning approach to identify species-specific DBPs. For prediction, both shallow learning algorithms and deep learning models were used, with shallow learning models achieving higher accuracy. Additionally, the evolutionary features outperformed sequence-derived features in terms of accuracy. Five model organisms, including Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Escherichia coli, Homo sapiens and Mus musculus, were used to assess the performance of DBPMod. Five-fold cross-validation and independent test set analyses were used to evaluate the prediction accuracy in terms of area under receiver operating characteristic curve (auROC) and area under precision-recall curve (auPRC), which was found to be ~89-92% and ~89-95%, respectively. The comparative results demonstrate that the DBPMod outperforms 12 current state-of-the-art computational approaches in identifying the DBPs for all five model organisms. We further developed the web server of DBPMod to make it easier for researchers to detect DBPs and is publicly available at https://iasri-sg.icar.gov.in/dbpmod/. DBPMod is expected to be an invaluable tool for discovering DBPs, supplementing the current experimental and computational methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Upendra K Pradhan
- Division of Statistical Genetics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, PUSA, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Prabina K Meher
- Division of Statistical Genetics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, PUSA, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Sanchita Naha
- Division of Computer Applications, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, PUSA, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Nitesh K Sharma
- Titus Family Department of Clinical Pharmacy, USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, 1540 Alcazar Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Aarushi Agarwal
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201313, India
| | - Ajit Gupta
- Division of Statistical Genetics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, PUSA, New Delhi 110012, India
| | - Rajender Parsad
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, PUSA, New Delhi 110012, India
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16
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Forecki J, Morales C, Merzdorf C. Trails to Research: an Inquiry-Based Course Using Zebrafish To Provide Research Experience to Tribal College Students. J Microbiol Biol Educ 2023; 24:e00243-22. [PMID: 37614886 PMCID: PMC10443398 DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.00243-22] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Embryonic development is fascinating to follow and highly engaging and, therefore, lends itself for undergraduate students' first steps in experimental science. We developed the "Trails to Research" inquiry-based course, which exposes students to life science research using zebrafish as model organism. Zebrafish are ideal in the classroom: they are easy to maintain, their embryos develop rapidly, and they are easily manipulated. Further, they lend themselves to teach about embryo development and experimental design. We developed the course for undergraduates at 2-year colleges and, therefore, for students with little or no research experience. In this 5-day intensive course (which is taught during summers as a stand-alone course), students design treatment experiments for zebrafish embryos with known teratogens and with substances they select. The course comprises three modules that overlap over the 5 days: (i) introduction to developmental biology, model organisms, toxicology, and experimental design, (ii) zebrafish embryo experimental setup, and (iii) collecting, analyzing, and presenting data. Student learning was significant in the areas of experimental design, working with model systems, working with zebrafish embryos, using laboratory equipment, and presenting the results of their experiments using effective methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Forecki
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Chelsea Morales
- Allied Health Department, Aaniiih Nakoda College, Harlem, Montana, USA
| | - Christa Merzdorf
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
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17
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Reyes-Aldasoro CC. Modelling the Tumour Microenvironment, but What Exactly Do We Mean by "Model"? Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3796. [PMID: 37568612 PMCID: PMC10416922 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153796] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The Oxford English Dictionary includes 17 definitions for the word "model" as a noun and another 11 as a verb. Therefore, context is necessary to understand the meaning of the word model. For instance, "model railways" refer to replicas of railways and trains at a smaller scale and a "model student" refers to an exemplary individual. In some cases, a specific context, like cancer research, may not be sufficient to provide one specific meaning for model. Even if the context is narrowed, specifically, to research related to the tumour microenvironment, "model" can be understood in a wide variety of ways, from an animal model to a mathematical expression. This paper presents a review of different "models" of the tumour microenvironment, as grouped by different definitions of the word into four categories: model organisms, in vitro models, mathematical models and computational models. Then, the frequencies of different meanings of the word "model" related to the tumour microenvironment are measured from numbers of entries in the MEDLINE database of the United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. The frequencies of the main components of the microenvironment and the organ-related cancers modelled are also assessed quantitatively with specific keywords. Whilst animal models, particularly xenografts and mouse models, are the most commonly used "models", the number of these entries has been slowly decreasing. Mathematical models, as well as prognostic and risk models, follow in frequency, and these have been growing in use.
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18
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Carotenuto R, Pallotta MM, Tussellino M, Fogliano C. Xenopus laevis (Daudin, 1802) as a Model Organism for Bioscience: A Historic Review and Perspective. Biology (Basel) 2023; 12:890. [PMID: 37372174 DOI: 10.3390/biology12060890] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
In vitro systems have been mainly promoted by authorities to sustain research by following the 3Rs principle, but continuously increasing amounts of evidence point out that in vivo experimentation is also of extreme relevance. Xenopus laevis, an anuran amphibian, is a significant model organism in the study of evolutionary developmental biology, toxicology, ethology, neurobiology, endocrinology, immunology and tumor biology; thanks to the recent development of genome editing, it has also acquired a relevant position in the field of genetics. For these reasons, X. laevis appears to be a powerful and alternative model to the zebrafish for environmental and biomedical studies. Its life cycle, as well as the possibility to obtain gametes from adults during the whole year and embryos by in vitro fertilization, allows experimental studies of several biological endpoints, such as gametogenesis, embryogenesis, larval growth, metamorphosis and, of course, the young and adult stages. Moreover, with respect to alternative invertebrate and even vertebrate animal models, the X. laevis genome displays a higher degree of similarity with that of mammals. Here, we have reviewed the main available literature on the use of X. laevis in the biosciences and, inspired by Feymann's revised view, "Plenty of room for biology at the bottom", suggest that X. laevis is a very useful model for all possible studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Carotenuto
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Chiara Fogliano
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
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19
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Thoré ESJ, Merckx W. Substrate colour guides turquoise killifish's (Nothobranchius furzeri) choice of preferred spawning habitat. J Fish Biol 2023; 102:1434-1441. [PMID: 37009851 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15392] [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: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) is a promising new model species used in biomedical and ecological laboratory experiments, and should be kept under optimal conditions to ensure fish welfare and the quality of science. While the popularity of this model species is rapidly increasing, we need to improve our understanding of how the species interacts with its environment to optimize its husbandry. Specifically, turquoise killifish are substrate spawners that bury their eggs in the sediment, which can be accommodated under captive conditions, but it is not yet known whether or not turquoise killifish have a preference for a specific sediment colour. Here, we performed a laboratory experiment in which fish could choose between white, orange and black sand for spawning, colours which are relevant in both laboratory and field conditions. We assessed their preference in the context of single breeding pairs, as well as in a social group setting. Additionally, we also assessed the preference of individuals for a white versus black background in a nonmating context. Single breeding pairs deposited over 3.5 times more eggs in black compared to orange or white sand. Similarly, fish in social groups deposited over 3.5 times more eggs in black compared to orange sand, which in turn was over two times higher than that in white sand. Fish showed a slight preference for the black compared to the white zone in a nonmating context, but this did not correlate with substrate choice during the spawning tests. The results suggest that turquoise killifish select their preferred spawning location based on the colour of the substrate. These findings contribute to our understanding of the species' biology and can help to guide good welfare and scientific practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli S J Thoré
- TRANSfarm - Science, Engineering & Technology Group, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Global Change and Sustainable Development, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Wouter Merckx
- TRANSfarm - Science, Engineering & Technology Group, Leuven, Belgium
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20
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Blomme J, Wichard T, Jacobs TB, De Clerck O. Ulva: An emerging green seaweed model for systems biology. J Phycol 2023. [PMID: 37256696 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13341] [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] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Green seaweeds exhibit a wide range of morphologies and occupy various ecological niches, spanning from freshwater to marine and terrestrial habitats. These organisms, which predominantly belong to the class Ulvophyceae, showcase a remarkable instance of parallel evolution toward complex multicellularity and macroscopic thalli in the Viridiplantae lineage. Within the green seaweeds, several Ulva species ("sea lettuce") are model organisms for studying carbon assimilation, interactions with bacteria, life cycle progression, and morphogenesis. Ulva species are also notorious for their fast growth and capacity to dominate nutrient-rich, anthropogenically disturbed coastal ecosystems during "green tide" blooms. From an economic perspective, Ulva has garnered increasing attention as a promising feedstock for the production of food, feed, and biobased products, also as a means of removing excess nutrients from the environment. We propose that Ulva is poised to further develop as a model in green seaweed research. In this perspective, we focus explicitly on Ulva mutabilis/compressa as a model species and highlight the molecular data and tools that are currently available or in development. We discuss several areas that will benefit from future research or where exciting new developments have been reported in other Ulva species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Blomme
- Department of Biology, Phycology Research Group, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Thomas Wichard
- Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Jena School for Microbial Communication, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas B Jacobs
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Olivier De Clerck
- Department of Biology, Phycology Research Group, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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21
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Rizou AEI, Nasi GI, Paikopoulos Y, Bezantakou DS, Vraila KD, Spatharas PM, Dimaki VD, Papandreou NC, Lamari FN, Chondrogianni N, Iconomidou VA. A Multilevel Study of Eupatorin and Scutellarein as Anti-Amyloid Agents in Alzheimer's Disease. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051357. [PMID: 37239029 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051357] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Today, Alzheimer's disease (AD)-the most common neurodegenerative disorder, which affects 50 million people-remains incurable. Several studies suggest that one of the main pathological hallmarks of AD is the accumulation of abnormal amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregates; therefore, many therapeutic approaches focus on anti-Aβ aggregation inhibitors. Taking into consideration that plant-derived secondary metabolites seem to have neuroprotective effects, we attempted to assess the effects of two flavones-eupatorin and scutellarein-on the amyloidogenesis of Aβ peptides. Biophysical experimental methods were employed to inspect the aggregation process of Aβ after its incubation with each natural product, while we monitored their interactions with the oligomerized Aβ through molecular dynamics simulations. More importantly, we validated our in vitro and in silico results in a multicellular organismal model-namely, Caenorhabditis elegans-and we concluded that eupatorin is indeed able to delay the amyloidogenesis of Aβ peptides in a concentration-dependent manner. Finally, we propose that further investigation could lead to the exploitation of eupatorin or its analogues as potential drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aikaterini E I Rizou
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia I Nasi
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Yiorgos Paikopoulos
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Ave., 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitra S Bezantakou
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantina D Vraila
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis M Spatharas
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Virginia D Dimaki
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece
| | - Nikos C Papandreou
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Fotini N Lamari
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece
| | - Niki Chondrogianni
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Ave., 11635 Athens, Greece
| | - Vassiliki A Iconomidou
- Section of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, School of Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
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22
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Melnikov K, Kucharíková S, Bárdyová Z, Botek N, Kaiglová A. Applications of a powerful model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to study the neurotoxicity induced by heavy metals and pesticides. Physiol Res 2023; 72:149-166. [PMID: 37159850 PMCID: PMC10226405 DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.934977] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The expansion of industry and the use of pesticides in agriculture represent one of the major causes of environmental contamination. Unfortunately, individuals and animals are exposed to these foreign and often toxic substances on a daily basis. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor the impact of such chemicals on human health. Several in vitro studies have addressed this issue, but it is difficult to explore the impact of these compounds on living organisms. A nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has become a useful alternative to animal models mainly because of its transparent body, fast growth, short life cycle, and easy cultivation. Furthermore, at the molecular level, there are significant similarities between humans and C. elegans. These unique features make it an excellent model to complement mammalian models in toxicology research. Heavy metals and pesticides, which are considered environmental contaminants, are known to have affected the locomotion, feeding behavior, brood size, growth, life span, and cell death of C. elegans. Today, there are increasing numbers of research articles dedicated to this topic, of which we summarized the most recent findings dedicated to the effect of heavy metals, heavy metal mixtures, and pesticides on the well-characterized nervous system of this nematode.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Melnikov
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Health Care and Social Work, University in Trnava, Slovakia.
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23
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Byrnes I, Rossbach LM, Brede DA, Grolimund D, Ferreira Sanchez D, Nuyts G, Čuba V, Reinoso-Maset E, Salbu B, Janssens K, Oughton D, Scheibener S, Teien HC, Lind OC. Synchrotron-Based X-ray Fluorescence Imaging Elucidates Uranium Toxicokinetics in Daphnia magna. ACS Nano 2023; 17:5296-5305. [PMID: 36921214 PMCID: PMC10062025 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c06111] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
A combination of synchrotron-based elemental analysis and acute toxicity tests was used to investigate the biodistribution and adverse effects in Daphnia magna exposed to uranium nanoparticle (UNP, 3-5 nm) suspensions or to uranium reference (Uref) solutions. Speciation analysis revealed similar size distributions between exposures, and toxicity tests showed comparable acute effects (UNP LC50: 402 μg L-1 [336-484], Uref LC50: 268 μg L-1 [229-315]). However, the uranium body burden was 3- to 5-fold greater in UNP-exposed daphnids, and analysis of survival as a function of body burden revealed a ∼5-fold higher specific toxicity from the Uref exposure. High-resolution X-ray fluorescence elemental maps of intact, whole daphnids from sublethal, acute exposures of both treatments revealed high uranium accumulation onto the gills (epipodites) as well as within the hepatic ceca and the intestinal lumen. Uranium uptake into the hemolymph circulatory system was inferred from signals observed in organs such as the heart and the maxillary gland. The substantial uptake in the maxillary gland and the associated nephridium suggests that these organs play a role in uranium removal from the hemolymph and subsequent excretion. Uranium was also observed associated with the embryos and the remnants of the chorion, suggesting uptake in the offspring. The identification of target organs and tissues is of major importance to the understanding of uranium and UNP toxicity and exposure characterization that should ultimately contribute to reducing uncertainties in related environmental impact and risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Byrnes
- Centre
for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Faculty of Environmental
Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1433 Ås, Norway
| | - Lisa Magdalena Rossbach
- Centre
for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Faculty of Environmental
Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1433 Ås, Norway
| | - Dag Anders Brede
- Centre
for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Faculty of Environmental
Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1433 Ås, Norway
| | - Daniel Grolimund
- Swiss
Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | | | - Gert Nuyts
- AXIS
Group, NANOlab Center of Excellence, Department of Physics, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Václav Čuba
- Faculty
of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Brehova 7, 166 36 Prague 1, Czech Republic
| | - Estela Reinoso-Maset
- Centre
for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Faculty of Environmental
Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1433 Ås, Norway
| | - Brit Salbu
- Centre
for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Faculty of Environmental
Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1433 Ås, Norway
| | - Koen Janssens
- AXIS
Group, NANOlab Center of Excellence, Department of Physics, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Deborah Oughton
- Centre
for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Faculty of Environmental
Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1433 Ås, Norway
| | - Shane Scheibener
- Centre
for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Faculty of Environmental
Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1433 Ås, Norway
| | - Hans-Christian Teien
- Centre
for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Faculty of Environmental
Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1433 Ås, Norway
| | - Ole Christian Lind
- Centre
for Environmental Radioactivity (CERAD), Faculty of Environmental
Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1433 Ås, Norway
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24
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Liang Q, Yang H, Zhang Z, Zheng JC, Qin Z. Loss of mammalian glutaminase orthologs impairs sperm function in Caenorhabditis elegans. iScience 2023; 26:106206. [PMID: 36876125 PMCID: PMC9982271 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106206] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The decline in sperm function is a major cause of human male infertility. Glutaminase, a mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of glutamine to generate glutamate, takes part in many diverse biological processes such as neurotransmission, metabolism, and cellular senescence. Here we report the role of glutaminase in regulating sperm function. By generating a triple mutant that harbors a loss-of-function allele for each of all three mammalian glutaminase orthologs, we found that glutaminase gene activity is required for optimal Caenorhabditis elegans sperm function. Tissue-specific gene manipulations showed that germline glutaminase activity plays an important role. Moreover, transcriptional profiling and antioxidant treatment suggested that glutaminase promotes sperm function by maintaining cellular redox homeostasis. As maintaining a low level of ROS is crucial to human sperm function, it is very likely that glutaminase plays a similar role in humans and therefore can be a potential target for treating human male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qifei Liang
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Haiyan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopedic Department of Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Zhifei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopedic Department of Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
| | - Jialin C. Zheng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopedic Department of Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200081, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zhao Qin
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopedic Department of Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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25
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Wang RY, Ai ZF, Li HZ, Xue B, Liu YL, Yang M, Zhu GH, Su D, Song YG. [Research and application of model fruit fly in prevention and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders by traditional Chinese medicine and natural compounds: a review]. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 2023; 48:1438-1445. [PMID: 37005831 DOI: 10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20221130.401] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
As an important model animal, fruit fly is characterized by outstanding genetic characteristics, relatively perfect nervous system, rapid reproduction, and low cost. Thus, it has been applied in the research on neuropsychiatric disorders in recent years, showing great potential in life science. The incidence of neuropsychiatric disorders has been on the rise, and the disorders have high disability rate and low case fatality rate. The global drug demand for such diseases is second only to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. At the moment, the demand of the drugs for the diseases have been rising, and it is an urgent task to develop related drugs. However, the research and development of the drugs are time-intensive and have a high failure rate. A suitable animal model can help shorten the time for drug screening and development, thereby reducing the cost and failure rate. This study reviews the application of fruit flies in several common neuropsychiatric disorders, which is expected to provide new ideas for the research and application of the model animals in traditional Chinese medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui-Ying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Brain Diseases with Cognitive Impairment, Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China Key Research Room for Depression Syndrome Animal Models and Chinese Medicine Efficacy Evaluation (Prevention and Treatment of Mental Disorders Brain Disease) of Jiangxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Administration, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China
| | - Zhi-Fu Ai
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Brain Diseases with Cognitive Impairment, Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China Key Research Room for Depression Syndrome Animal Models and Chinese Medicine Efficacy Evaluation (Prevention and Treatment of Mental Disorders Brain Disease) of Jiangxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Administration, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China
| | - Hui-Zhen Li
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Brain Diseases with Cognitive Impairment, Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China Key Research Room for Depression Syndrome Animal Models and Chinese Medicine Efficacy Evaluation (Prevention and Treatment of Mental Disorders Brain Disease) of Jiangxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Administration, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China
| | - Bing Xue
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Brain Diseases with Cognitive Impairment, Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China Key Research Room for Depression Syndrome Animal Models and Chinese Medicine Efficacy Evaluation (Prevention and Treatment of Mental Disorders Brain Disease) of Jiangxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Administration, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China
| | - Ya-Li Liu
- Key Efficacy and Safety Evaluation Laboratory of Jiangxi Health Commission, Nanchang Medical College Nanchang 330004, China
| | - Ming Yang
- Jiangxi Guxiang Jinyun Comprehensive Health Industry Co., Ltd. Nanchang 330029, China
| | - Gen-Hua Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Brain Diseases with Cognitive Impairment, Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China Key Research Room for Depression Syndrome Animal Models and Chinese Medicine Efficacy Evaluation (Prevention and Treatment of Mental Disorders Brain Disease) of Jiangxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Administration, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China
| | - Dan Su
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Brain Diseases with Cognitive Impairment, Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China Key Research Room for Depression Syndrome Animal Models and Chinese Medicine Efficacy Evaluation (Prevention and Treatment of Mental Disorders Brain Disease) of Jiangxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Administration, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China
| | - Yong-Gui Song
- Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Brain Diseases with Cognitive Impairment, Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China Key Research Room for Depression Syndrome Animal Models and Chinese Medicine Efficacy Evaluation (Prevention and Treatment of Mental Disorders Brain Disease) of Jiangxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Administration, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine Nanchang 330004, China
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26
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Barrows JM, Goley ED. Synchronized Swarmers and Sticky Stalks: Caulobacter crescentus as a Model for Bacterial Cell Biology. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0038422. [PMID: 36715542 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00384-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
First isolated and classified in the 1960s, Caulobacter crescentus has been instrumental in the study of bacterial cell biology and differentiation. C. crescentus is a Gram-negative alphaproteobacterium that exhibits a dimorphic life cycle composed of two distinct cell types: a motile swarmer cell and a nonmotile, division-competent stalked cell. Progression through the cell cycle is accentuated by tightly controlled biogenesis of appendages, morphological transitions, and distinct localization of developmental regulators. These features as well as the ability to synchronize populations of cells and follow their progression make C. crescentus an ideal model for answering questions relevant to how development and differentiation are achieved at the single-cell level. This review will explore the discovery and development of C. crescentus as a model organism before diving into several key features and discoveries that have made it such a powerful organism to study. Finally, we will summarize a few of the ongoing areas of research that are leveraging knowledge gained over the last century with C. crescentus to highlight its continuing role at the forefront of cell and developmental biology.
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27
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Baisgaard AE, Koldby KM, Kristensen TN, Nyegaard M, Rohde PD. Functionally Validating Evolutionary Conserved Risk Genes for Parkinson's Disease in Drosophila melanogaster. Insects 2023; 14:168. [PMID: 36835737 PMCID: PMC9958964 DOI: 10.3390/insects14020168] [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: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a heterogeneous and complex neurodegenerative disorder and large-scale genetic studies have identified >130 genes associated with PD. Although genomic studies have been decisive for our understanding of the genetic contributions underlying PD, these associations remain as statistical associations. Lack of functional validation limits the biological interpretation; however, it is labour extensive, expensive, and time consuming. Therefore, the ideal biological system for functionally validating genetic findings must be simple. The study aim was to assess systematically evolutionary conserved PD-associated genes using Drosophila melanogaster. From a literature review, a total of 136 genes have found to be associated with PD in GWAS studies, of which 11 are strongly evolutionary conserved between Homo sapiens and D. melanogaster. By ubiquitous gene expression knockdown of the PD-genes in D. melanogaster, the flies' escape response was investigated by assessing their negative geotaxis response, a phenotype that has previously been used to investigate PD in D. melanogaster. Gene expression knockdown was successful in 9/11 lines, and phenotypic consequences were observed in 8/9 lines. The results provide evidence that genetically modifying expression levels of PD genes in D. melanogaster caused reduced climbing ability of the flies, potentially supporting their role in dysfunctional locomotion, a hallmark of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalie Elton Baisgaard
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | | | | | - Mette Nyegaard
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Palle Duun Rohde
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
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28
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Butrón A, Santiago R, Gowda M. Editorial: Model organisms in plant science: Maize. Front Plant Sci 2023; 14:1147857. [PMID: 36844039 PMCID: PMC9945335 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1147857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Butrón
- Misión Biológica de Galicia, Spanish Council for Scientific Research (MBG-CSIC), Pontevedra, Spain
| | - Rogelio Santiago
- Misión Biológica de Galicia, Spanish Council for Scientific Research (MBG-CSIC), Pontevedra, Spain
- Agrobiología Ambiental, Calidad de Suelos y Plantas University of Vigo (UVIGO), Unidad Asociada a la MBG (CSIC), Vigo, Spain
| | - Manje Gowda
- Global Maize Program, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Nairobi, Kenya
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Chase MW, Samuel R, Leitch AR, Guignard MS, Conran JG, Nollet F, Fletcher P, Jakob A, Cauz-Santos LA, Vignolle G, Dodsworth S, Christenhusz MJM, Buril MT, Paun O. Down, then up: non-parallel genome size changes and a descending chromosome series in a recent radiation of the Australian allotetraploid plant species, Nicotiana section Suaveolentes (Solanaceae). Ann Bot 2023; 131:123-142. [PMID: 35029647 PMCID: PMC9904355 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcac006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [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: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The extent to which genome size and chromosome numbers evolve in concert is little understood, particularly after polyploidy (whole-genome duplication), when a genome returns to a diploid-like condition (diploidization). We study this phenomenon in 46 species of allotetraploid Nicotiana section Suaveolentes (Solanaceae), which formed <6 million years ago and radiated in the arid centre of Australia. METHODS We analysed newly assessed genome sizes and chromosome numbers within the context of a restriction site-associated nuclear DNA (RADseq) phylogenetic framework. KEY RESULTS RADseq generated a well-supported phylogenetic tree, in which multiple accessions from each species formed unique genetic clusters. Chromosome numbers and genome sizes vary from n = 2x = 15 to 24 and 2.7 to 5.8 pg/1C nucleus, respectively. Decreases in both genome size and chromosome number occur, although neither consistently nor in parallel. Species with the lowest chromosome numbers (n = 15-18) do not possess the smallest genome sizes and, although N. heterantha has retained the ancestral chromosome complement, n = 2x = 24, it nonetheless has the smallest genome size, even smaller than that of the modern representatives of ancestral diploids. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that decreases in genome size and chromosome number occur in parallel down to a chromosome number threshold, n = 20, below which genome size increases, a phenomenon potentially explained by decreasing rates of recombination over fewer chromosomes. We hypothesize that, more generally in plants, major decreases in genome size post-polyploidization take place while chromosome numbers are still high because in these stages elimination of retrotransposons and other repetitive elements is more efficient. Once such major genome size change has been accomplished, then dysploid chromosome reductions take place to reorganize these smaller genomes, producing species with small genomes and low chromosome numbers such as those observed in many annual angiosperms, including Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark W Chase
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond TW9 3DS, UK
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Rosabelle Samuel
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrew R Leitch
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | | | - John G Conran
- ACEBB & SGC, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005Australia
| | - Felipe Nollet
- Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Botânica, Rua Manuel de Medeiros, S/N, Dois Irmãos, 52171-900 Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Paul Fletcher
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Aljaž Jakob
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Luiz A Cauz-Santos
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gabriel Vignolle
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Steven Dodsworth
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, UK
| | - Maarten J M Christenhusz
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Maria Teresa Buril
- ACEBB & SGC, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA 5005Australia
| | - Ovidiu Paun
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
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30
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Zong W, Rahman T, Zhu L, Zeng X, Zhang Y, Zou J, Liu S, Ren Z, Li JJ, Sibille E, Lee AV, Oesterreich S, Ma T, Tseng GC. Transcriptomic congruence analysis for evaluating model organisms. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2202584120. [PMID: 36730203 PMCID: PMC9963430 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2202584120] [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: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Model organisms are instrumental substitutes for human studies to expedite basic, translational, and clinical research. Despite their indispensable role in mechanistic investigation and drug development, molecular congruence of animal models to humans has long been questioned and debated. Little effort has been made for an objective quantification and mechanistic exploration of a model organism's resemblance to humans in terms of molecular response under disease or drug treatment. We hereby propose a framework, namely Congruence Analysis for Model Organisms (CAMO), for transcriptomic response analysis by developing threshold-free differential expression analysis, quantitative concordance/discordance scores incorporating data variabilities, pathway-centric downstream investigation, knowledge retrieval by text mining, and topological gene module detection for hypothesis generation. Instead of a genome-wide vague and dichotomous answer of "poorly" or "greatly" mimicking humans, CAMO assists researchers to numerically quantify congruence, to dissect true cross-species differences from unwanted biological or cohort variabilities, and to visually identify molecular mechanisms and pathway subnetworks that are best or least mimicked by model organisms, which altogether provides foundations for hypothesis generation and subsequent translational decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zong
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15261
| | - Tanbin Rahman
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX77030
| | - Li Zhu
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15261
| | - Xiangrui Zeng
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02129
| | - Yingjin Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15261
| | - Jian Zou
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15261
| | - Song Liu
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, Shandong 250353, China
| | - Zhao Ren
- Department of Statistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15261
| | - Jingyi Jessica Li
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ONM5S 2S1, Canada
| | - Adrian V. Lee
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15261
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA15123
| | - Steffi Oesterreich
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15261
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA15123
| | - Tianzhou Ma
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, MD20742
| | - George C. Tseng
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15261
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15261
- Department of Computational and System, Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15261
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31
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Abstract
AbstractKrogh's principle states, "For such a large number of problems there will be some animal of choice, or a few such animals, on which it can be most conveniently studied." The downside of picking a question first and then finding an ideal organism on which to study it is that it will inevitably leave many organisms neglected. Here, we promote the inverse Krogh principle: all organisms are worthy of study. The inverse Krogh principle and the Krogh principle are not opposites. Rather, the inverse Krogh principle emphasizes a different starting point for research: start with a biological unit, such as an organism, clade, or specific organism trait, then seek or create tractable research questions. Even the hardest-to-study species have research questions that can be asked of them: Where does it fall within the tree of life? What resources does it need to survive and reproduce? How does it differ from close relatives? Does it have unique adaptations? The Krogh and inverse Krogh approaches are complementary, and many research programs naturally include both. Other considerations for picking a study species include extreme species, species informative for phylogenetic analyses, and the creation of models when a suitable species does not exist. The inverse Krogh principle also has pitfalls. A scientist that picks the organism first might choose a research question not really suited to the organism, and funding agencies rarely fund organism-centered grant proposals. The inverse Krogh principle does not call for all organisms to receive the same amount of research attention. As knowledge continues to accumulate, some organisms-models-will inevitably have more known about them than others. Rather, it urges a broader search across organismal diversity to find sources of inspiration for research questions and the motivation needed to pursue them.
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32
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Johnson CA, Behbehani R, Buss F. Unconventional Myosins from Caenorhabditis elegans as a Probe to Study Human Orthologues. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12121889. [PMID: 36551317 PMCID: PMC9775386 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121889] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Unconventional myosins are a superfamily of actin-based motor proteins that perform a number of roles in fundamental cellular processes, including (but not limited to) intracellular trafficking, cell motility, endocytosis, exocytosis and cytokinesis. 40 myosins genes have been identified in humans, which belong to different 12 classes based on their domain structure and organisation. These genes are widely expressed in different tissues, and mutations leading to loss of function are associated with a wide variety of pathologies while over-expression often results in cancer. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a small, free-living, non-parasitic nematode. ~38% of the genome of C. elegans has predicted orthologues in the human genome, making it a valuable tool to study the function of human counterparts and human diseases. To date, 8 unconventional myosin genes have been identified in the nematode, from 6 different classes with high homology to human paralogues. The hum-1 and hum-5 (heavy chain of an unconventional myosin) genes encode myosin of class I, hum-2 of class V, hum-3 and hum-8 of class VI, hum-6 of class VII and hum-7 of class IX. The hum-4 gene encodes a high molecular mass myosin (307 kDa) that is one of the most highly divergent myosins and is a member of class XII. Mutations in many of the human orthologues are lethal, indicating their essential properties. However, a functional characterisation for many of these genes in C. elegans has not yet been performed. This article reviews the current knowledge of unconventional myosin genes in C. elegans and explores the potential use of the nematode to study the function and regulation of myosin motors to provide valuable insights into their role in diseases.
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33
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Sulima-Celińska A, Kalinowska A, Młocicki D. The Tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta as an Important Model Organism in the Experimental Parasitology of the 21st Century. Pathogens 2022; 11. [PMID: 36558772 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11121439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta is a common parasite of the small intestine in rodents but it can also infect humans. Due to its characteristics and ease of maintenance in the laboratory, H. diminuta is also an important model species in studies of cestodiasis, including the search for new drugs, treatments, diagnostics and biochemical processes, as well as its host-parasite interrelationships. A great deal of attention has been devoted to the immune response caused by H. diminuta in the host, and several studies indicate that infection with H. diminuta can reduce the severity of concomitant disease. Here, we present a critical review of the experimental research conducted with the use of H. diminuta as a model organism for over more than two decades (in the 21st century). The present review evaluates the tapeworm H. diminuta as a model organism for studying the molecular biology, biochemistry and immunology aspects of parasitology, as well as certain clinical applications. It also systematizes the latest research on this species. Its findings may contribute to a better understanding of the biology of tapeworms and their adaptation to parasitism, including complex correlations between H. diminuta and invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. It places particular emphasis on its value for the further development of modern experimental parasitology.
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34
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Shaver AO, Garcia BM, Gouveia GJ, Morse AM, Liu Z, Asef CK, Borges RM, Leach FE, Andersen EC, Amster IJ, Fernández FM, Edison AS, McIntyre LM. An anchored experimental design and meta-analysis approach to address batch effects in large-scale metabolomics. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:930204. [PMID: 36438654 PMCID: PMC9682135 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.930204] [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: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Untargeted metabolomics studies are unbiased but identifying the same feature across studies is complicated by environmental variation, batch effects, and instrument variability. Ideally, several studies that assay the same set of metabolic features would be used to select recurring features to pursue for identification. Here, we developed an anchored experimental design. This generalizable approach enabled us to integrate three genetic studies consisting of 14 test strains of Caenorhabditis elegans prior to the compound identification process. An anchor strain, PD1074, was included in every sample collection, resulting in a large set of biological replicates of a genetically identical strain that anchored each study. This enables us to estimate treatment effects within each batch and apply straightforward meta-analytic approaches to combine treatment effects across batches without the need for estimation of batch effects and complex normalization strategies. We collected 104 test samples for three genetic studies across six batches to produce five analytical datasets from two complementary technologies commonly used in untargeted metabolomics. Here, we use the model system C. elegans to demonstrate that an augmented design combined with experimental blocks and other metabolomic QC approaches can be used to anchor studies and enable comparisons of stable spectral features across time without the need for compound identification. This approach is generalizable to systems where the same genotype can be assayed in multiple environments and provides biologically relevant features for downstream compound identification efforts. All methods are included in the newest release of the publicly available SECIMTools based on the open-source Galaxy platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda O. Shaver
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States,Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Brianna M. Garcia
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States,Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Goncalo J. Gouveia
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States,Department of Biochemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Alison M. Morse
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Zihao Liu
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Carter K. Asef
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ricardo M. Borges
- Walter Mors Institute of Research on Natural Products, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Franklin E. Leach
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States,Department of Environmental Health Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Erik C. Andersen
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - I. Jonathan Amster
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Facundo M. Fernández
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Arthur S. Edison
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States,Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States,Department of Biochemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Lauren M. McIntyre
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States,University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States,*Correspondence: Lauren M. McIntyre,
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35
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Iyer J, Mhatre SD, Gilbert R, Bhattacharya S. Multi-system responses to altered gravity and spaceflight: Insights from Drosophila melanogaster. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022;:104880. [PMID: 36126744 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
NASA is planning to resume human-crewed lunar missions and lay the foundation for human exploration to Mars. However, our knowledge of the overall effects of long-duration spaceflight on human physiology is limited. During spaceflight, astronauts are exposed to multiple risk factors, including gravitational changes, ionizing radiation, physiological stress, and altered circadian lighting. These factors contribute to pathophysiological responses that target different organ systems in the body. This review discusses the advancements in gravitational biology using Drosophila melanogaster, one of the first organisms to be launched into space. As a well-established spaceflight model organism, fruit flies have yielded significant information, including neurobehavioral, aging, immune, cardiovascular, developmental, and multi-omics changes across tissues and developmental stages, as detailed in this review.
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36
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Abstract
Dioxygen is an integral part of every living organism, but its concentration varies from organ to organ. Production of metabolites from dioxygen may result in oxidative stress. Since oxidative stress has the potential to damage various biomolecules in the cell, therefore, it has presently become an active field of research. Oxidative stress has been studied in a wide range of model organisms from vertebrates to invertebrates, from rodents to piscine organisms, and from in vivo to in vitro models. But zebrafish (adults, larvae, or embryonic stage) emerged out to be the most promising vertebrate model organism to study oxidative stress because of its vast advantages (transparent embryo, cost-effectiveness, similarity to human genome, easy developmental processes, numerous offspring per spawning, and many more). This is evidenced by voluminous number of researches on oxidative stress in zebrafish exposed to chemicals, radiations, nanoparticles, pesticides, heavy metals, etc. On these backgrounds, this review attempts to highlight the potentiality of zebrafish as model of oxidative stress compared with other companion models. Several areas, from biomedical to environmental research, have been covered to explain it as a more convenient and reliable animal model for experimental research on oxidative mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabarna Chowdhury
- Aquatic Ecology and Fish Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India
| | - Surjya Kumar Saikia
- Aquatic Ecology and Fish Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India
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37
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Zhang ZJ, Zheng H. Bumblebees with the socially transmitted microbiome: A novel model organism for gut microbiota research. Insect Sci 2022; 29:958-976. [PMID: 35567381 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Eusocial bumble and honey bees are important pollinators for global ecology and the agricultural economy. Although both the bumble and honey bees possess similar and host-restricted gut microbiota, they differ in aspects of morphology, autonomy, physiology, behavior, and life cycle. The social bee gut bacteria exhibit host specificity that is likely a result of long-term co-evolution. The unique life cycle of bumblebees is key for the acquisition and development of their gut microbiota, and affects the strain-level diversity of the core bacterial species. Studies on bumblebee gut bacteria show that they retain less functional capacity for carbohydrate metabolism compared with that of the honeybee. We discuss the potential roles of the bumblebee gut microbiota against pathogenic threats and the application of host-specific probiotics for bumblebees. Given the advantages of the bumblebee microbiome, including the simple structure and host specificity, and the ease of manipulating bumblebee colonies, we propose that bumblebees may provide a valuable system for understanding the general principles of host-microbe interactions, gut-brain axis, and vertical transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Jing Zhang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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38
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Duman Erbaş E, Gwokyalya R, Altuntaş H, Kutrup B. Screening the immunotoxicity of different food preservative agents on the model organism Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae. Drug Chem Toxicol 2022:1-11. [PMID: 35758106 DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2022.2091589] [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] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Immunotoxic effects of sodium benzoate (SB, E211), sodium nitrate (SNa, E251), and sodium nitrite (SNi, E250), a few of the most common food preservatives, on the model organism Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae were investigated in this study. The last instar larvae were used for all experimental analyses. For this purpose, median lethal doses of SB, SNa, and SNi were applied to the larvae by the force-feeding method. We found that force-feeding G. mellonella larvae with SB, SNa, and SNi significantly reduced the larval total hemocyte counts, prohemocyte, and granulocyte ratios but increased plasmatocyte, spherulocyte, and oenocyte ratios, as well as the hemocyte mitotic indices and micronucleus frequency. The spreading ability of hemocytes and hemocyte-mediated immune responses were lower in the SB, SNa-, and SNi-treated larval groups compared to controls. Apoptotic indices were higher in all larval groups treated with food preservatives, but increments in necrotic indices were only significantly higher in SNi-treated larvae compared to controls. Our research shows that SB, SNa, and SNi have immunotoxic and cytotoxic potential on G. mellonella larvae. Thus, we suggest that G. mellonella larvae can be used as preliminary in vivo models to screen the immunotoxic effects of food preservative agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emine Duman Erbaş
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey
| | - Rehemah Gwokyalya
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Hülya Altuntaş
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Eskisehir Technical University, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Bilal Kutrup
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey
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39
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Sáez Conde J, Dean S. Structure, function and druggability of the African trypanosome flagellum. J Cell Physiol 2022; 237:2654-2667. [PMID: 35616248 PMCID: PMC9323424 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30778] [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: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
African trypanosomes are early branching protists that cause human and animal diseases, termed trypanosomiases. They have been under intensive study for more than 100 years and have contributed significantly to our understanding of eukaryotic biology. The combination of conserved and parasite‐specific features mean that their flagellum has gained particular attention. Here, we discuss the different structural features of the flagellum and their role in transmission and virulence. We highlight the possibilities of targeting flagellar function to cure trypanosome infections and help in the fight to eliminate trypanosomiases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Sáez Conde
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Samuel Dean
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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40
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Neubauer A, Ruaud S, Waller M, Frangedakis E, Li F, Nötzold SI, Wicke S, Bailly A, Szövényi P. Step-by-step protocol for the isolation and transient transformation of hornwort protoplasts. Appl Plant Sci 2022; 10:e11456. [PMID: 35495192 PMCID: PMC9039799 DOI: 10.1002/aps3.11456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE A detailed protocol for the protoplast transformation of hornwort tissue is not yet available, limiting molecular biological investigations of these plants and comparative analyses with other bryophytes, which display a gametophyte-dominant life cycle and are critical to understanding the evolution of key land plant traits. METHODS AND RESULTS We describe a detailed protocol to isolate and transiently transform protoplasts of the model hornwort Anthoceros agrestis. The digestion of liquid cultures with Driselase yields a high number of viable protoplasts suitable for polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated transformation. We also report early signs of protoplast regeneration, such as chloroplast division and cell wall reconstitution. CONCLUSIONS This protocol represents a straightforward method for isolating and transforming A. agrestis protoplasts that is less laborious than previously described approaches. In combination with the recently developed stable genome transformation technique, this work further expands the prospects of functional studies in this model hornwort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Neubauer
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary BotanyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Zurich‐Basel Plant Science CenterZurichSwitzerland
| | - Stéphanie Ruaud
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary BotanyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Zurich‐Basel Plant Science CenterZurichSwitzerland
| | - Manuel Waller
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary BotanyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Zurich‐Basel Plant Science CenterZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - Fay‐Wei Li
- Boyce Thompson InstituteIthacaNew YorkUSA
- Plant Biology SectionCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | | | - Susann Wicke
- Institute for BiologyHumboldt University of BerlinBerlinGermany
- Späth‐ArboretumHumboldt University of BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Aurélien Bailly
- Zurich‐Basel Plant Science CenterZurichSwitzerland
- Department of Plant and Microbial BiologyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Péter Szövényi
- Department of Systematic and Evolutionary BotanyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Zurich‐Basel Plant Science CenterZurichSwitzerland
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41
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Abstract
Over the past 440 years since the discovery of the medicinal value of swamp eels, much progress has been made in the study of their biology. The fish is emerging as an important model animal in sexual development, in addition to economic and pharmaceutical implications. Tracing genomic history that shapes speciation of the fish has led to discovery of the whole genome-wide chromosome fission/fusion events. Natural intersex differentiation is a compelling feature for sexual development research. Notably, identification of progenitors of germline stem cells that have bipotential to differentiate into either male or female germline stem cells provides new insight into sex reversal. Here, we review these advances that have propelled the field forwards and present unsolved issues that will guide future investigations to finally elucidate vertebrate sexual development using the new model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanhua Cheng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
| | - Rongjia Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
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42
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Aspatwar A, Tolvanen MEE, Barker H, Syrjänen L, Valanne S, Purmonen S, Waheed A, Sly WS, Parkkila S. Carbonic Anhydrases in Metazoan Model Organisms: Molecules, Mechanisms, and Physiology. Physiol Rev 2022; 102:1327-1383. [PMID: 35166161 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00018.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During the past three decades, mice, zebrafish, fruit flies, and Caenorhabditis elegans have been the primary model organisms used for the study of various biological phenomena. These models have also been adopted and developed to investigate the physiological roles of carbonic anhydrases (CAs) and carbonic anhydrase-related proteins (CARPs). These proteins belong to eight CA families and are identified by Greek letters: α, β, γ, δ, ζ, η, θ, and ι. Studies using model organisms have focused on two CA families, α-CAs and β-CAs, which are expressed in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms with species-specific distribution patterns and unique functions. This review covers the biological roles of CAs and CARPs in light of investigations performed in model organisms. Functional studies demonstrate that CAs are not only linked to the regulation of pH homeostasis, the classical role of CAs but also contribute to a plethora of previously undescribed functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashok Aspatwar
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | | | - Harlan Barker
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Fimlab Ltd and TAYS Cancer Centre, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Leo Syrjänen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Susanna Valanne
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Sami Purmonen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Abdul Waheed
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Edward A. Doisy Research Center, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - William S Sly
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Edward A. Doisy Research Center, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Seppo Parkkila
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Fimlab Ltd and TAYS Cancer Centre, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
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43
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Abstract
Animals harbor diverse communities of microbes within their gastrointestinal tracts. Phylogenetic relationship, diet, gut morphology, host physiology, and ecology all influence microbiome composition within and between animal clades. Emerging evidence points to host genetics as also playing a role in determining gut microbial composition within species. Here, we discuss recent advances in the study of microbiome heritability across a variety of animal species. Candidate gene and discovery-based studies in humans, mice, Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, cattle, swine, poultry, and baboons reveal trends in the types of microbes that are heritable and the host genes and pathways involved in shaping the microbiome. Heritable gut microbes within a host species tend to be phylogenetically restricted. Host genetic variation in immune- and growth-related genes drives the abundances of these heritable bacteria within the gut. With only a small slice of the metazoan branch of the tree of life explored to date, this is an area rife with opportunities to shed light into the mechanisms governing host-microbe relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica P Ryu
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; ,
| | - Emily R Davenport
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; ,
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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44
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Mayran A, Bolt CC. Transgenic Model Systems Have Revolutionized the Study of Disease. DNA Cell Biol 2021; 41:49-52. [PMID: 34941457 PMCID: PMC8787710 DOI: 10.1089/dna.2021.0514] [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] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The current pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected most of the world in a profound way. As an indirect consequence, the general public has been put into direct contact with the research process, almost in real time. Justifiably, a lot of this focus has been targeted toward research directly linked to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this opinion article, we want to highlight to a general audience the value of having a diverse “portfolio” of research approaches for society as a whole. In this study, we will focus on our field of research, namely the study of gene regulation through the use of transgenesis. We will highlight how this type of research can also be used to provide a better understanding as well as tools to fight SARS-CoV-2 and other future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Mayran
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christopher Chase Bolt
- School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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45
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Ustyantsev KV, Vavilova VY, Blinov AG, Berezikov EV. Macrostomum lignano as a model to study the genetics and genomics of parasitic flatworms. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2021; 25:108-116. [PMID: 34901708 PMCID: PMC8629357 DOI: 10.18699/vj21.013] [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: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Hundreds of millions of people worldwide are infected by various species of parasitic flatworms. Without
treatment, acute and chronical infections frequently lead to the development of severe pathologies and even death.
Emerging data on a decreasing efficiency of some important anthelmintic compounds and the emergence of resistance to them force the search for alternative drugs. Parasitic flatworms have complex life cycles, are laborious and
expensive in culturing, and have a range of anatomic and physiological adaptations that complicate the application
of standard molecular-biological methods. On the other hand, free-living flatworm species, evolutionarily close to
parasitic flatworms, do not have the abovementioned difficulties, which makes them potential alternative models
to search for and study homologous genes. In this review, we describe the use of the basal free-living flatworm
Macrostomum lignano as such a model. M. lignano has a number of convenient biological and experimental properties, such as fast reproduction, easy and non-expensive laboratory culturing, optical body transparency, obligatory
sexual reproduction, annotated genome and transcriptome assemblies, and the availability of modern molecular
methods, including transgenesis, gene knockdown by RNA interference, and in situ hybridization. All this makes
M. lignano amenable to the most modern approaches of forward and reverse genetics, such as transposon insertional mutagenesis and methods of targeted genome editing by the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Due to the availability of
an increasing number of genome and transcriptome assemblies of different parasitic flatworm species, new knowledge generated by studying M. lignano can be easily translated to parasitic flatworms with the help of modern
bioinformatic methods of comparative genomics and transcriptomics. In support of this, we provide the results of
our bioinformatics search and analysis of genes homologous between M. lignano and parasitic flatworms, which
predicts a list of promising gene targets for subsequent research.
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Affiliation(s)
- K V Ustyantsev
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - V Yu Vavilova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - A G Blinov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - E V Berezikov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
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46
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Abstract
An organism's behaviour is influenced by its social environment. Experiences such as social isolation or crowding may have profound short or long-term effects on an individual's behaviour. The composition of the social environment also depends on the genetics and previous experiences of the individuals present, leading to additional potential outcomes from each social interaction. In this article, we review selected literature related to the social environment of the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, and how Drosophila respond to variation in their social experiences throughout their lifetimes. We focus on the effects of social environment on behavioural phenotypes such as courtship, aggression, and group dynamics, as well as other phenotypes such as development and physiology. The consequences of phenotypic plasticity due to social environment are discussed with respect to the ecology and evolution of Drosophila. We also relate these studies to laboratory research practices involving Drosophila and other animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly Chen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Current Affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 Canada
| | - Marla B Sokolowski
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Toronto, Ontario M5G 1Z8, Canada
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47
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Dyshlyuk LS, Dmitrieva AI, Drozdova MY, Milentyeva IS, Prosekov AY. Relevance of bioassay of biologically active substances (BAS) with geroprotective properties in the model of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans in experiments in vivo. Curr Aging Sci 2021; 15:121-134. [PMID: 34856917 DOI: 10.2174/1874609814666211202144911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Aging is a process global in nature. The age of living organisms contributes to the appearance of chronic diseases, which not only reduce the quality of life, but also significantly damage it. Modern medicines can successfully fight multiple diseases and prolong life. At the same time, medications have a large number of side effects. New research indicates that bioactive phytochemicals have great potential for treating even the most severe diseases and can become an alternative to medicines. Despite many studies in this area, the effects of many plant ingredients on living organisms are poorly understood. Analysis of the mechanisms through which herbal preparations influence the aging process helps to select the right active substances, determine the optimal doses to obtain the maximum positive effect. It is preferable to check the effectiveness of plant extracts and biologically active components with geroprotective properties in vivo. For these purposes, live model systems such as Rattus rattus, Mus musculus, Drosophila melanogaster, and Caenorhabditis elegans are used. These models help to comprehensively study the impact of the developed new drugs on the aging process. The model organism C. elegans is gaining increasing popularity in these studies because of its many advantages. This review article discusses the advantages of the nematode C. elegans as a model organism for studying the processes associated with aging. The influence of various BAS and plant extracts on the increase in the life span of the nematode, on the increase in its stress resistance and on other markers of aging is also considered. The review showed that the nematode C. elegans has a number of advantages over other organisms and is a promising model system for studying the geroprotective properties of BAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyubov S Dyshlyuk
- Natural Nutraceutical Bioassay Laboratory. Kemerovo State University,6 Krasnaya str., Kemerovo, 650043. Russian Federation
| | - Anastasiya I Dmitrieva
- Natural Nutraceutical Bioassay Laboratory. Kemerovo State University,6 Krasnaya str., Kemerovo, 650043. Russian Federation
| | - Margarita Yu Drozdova
- Natural Nutraceutical Bioassay Laboratory. Kemerovo State University,6 Krasnaya str., Kemerovo, 650043. Russian Federation
| | - Irina S Milentyeva
- Natural Nutraceutical Bioassay Laboratory. Kemerovo State University,6 Krasnaya str., Kemerovo, 650043. Russian Federation
| | - Alexander Yu Prosekov
- Natural Nutraceutical Bioassay Laboratory. Kemerovo State University,6 Krasnaya str., Kemerovo, 650043. Russian Federation
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48
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Jans K, Lüersen K, Rimbach G. Drosophila melanogaster as a Model Organism to Study Lithium and Boron Bioactivity. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:11710. [PMID: 34769143 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has become a valuable model organism in nutritional science, which can be applied to elucidate the physiology and the biological function of nutrients, including trace elements. Importantly, the application of chemically defined diets enables the supply of trace elements for nutritional studies under highly standardized dietary conditions. Thus, the bioavailability and bioactivity of trace elements can be systematically monitored in D. melanogaster. Numerous studies have already revealed that central aspects of trace element homeostasis are evolutionary conserved among the fruit fly and mammalian species. While there is sufficient evidence of vital functions of boron (B) in plants, there is also evidence regarding its bioactivity in animals and humans. Lithium (Li) is well known for its role in the therapy of bipolar disorder. Furthermore, recent findings suggest beneficial effects of Li regarding neuroprotection as well as healthy ageing and longevity in D. melanogaster. However, no specific essential function in the animal kingdom has been found for either of the two elements so far. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of Li and B bioactivity in D. melanogaster in the context of health and disease prevention.
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49
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Haver HN, Scaglione KM. Dictyostelium discoideum as a Model for Investigating Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:759532. [PMID: 34776869 PMCID: PMC8578527 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.759532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum is a model organism that is used to investigate many cellular processes including chemotaxis, cell motility, cell differentiation, and human disease pathogenesis. While many single-cellular model systems lack homologs of human disease genes, Dictyostelium's genome encodes for many genes that are implicated in human diseases including neurodegenerative diseases. Due to its short doubling time along with the powerful genetic tools that enable rapid genetic screening, and the ease of creating knockout cell lines, Dictyostelium is an attractive model organism for both interrogating the normal function of genes implicated in neurodegeneration and for determining pathogenic mechanisms that cause disease. Here we review the literature involving the use of Dictyostelium to interrogate genes implicated in neurodegeneration and highlight key questions that can be addressed using Dictyostelium as a model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly N. Haver
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - K. Matthew Scaglione
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Neurology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Duke Center for Neurodegeneration and Neurotherapeutics, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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Devigili A, Cattelan S, Gasparini C. Sperm Accumulation Induced by the Female Reproductive Fluid: Putative Evidence of Chemoattraction Using a New Tool. Cells 2021; 10:2472. [PMID: 34572122 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is considerable evidence that female reproductive fluid (FRF) interacts intimately with sperm, affecting several sperm traits, including sperm motility and longevity, and ultimately fertilization success. One of the first documented interactions between FRF and sperm is the ability of FRF to attract and guide sperm towards the eggs. However, most of the evidence of FRF’s chemoattraction proprieties comes from a limited number of taxa, specifically mammals and invertebrate broadcasting spawners. In other species, small FRF volumes and/or short sperm longevity often impose methodological difficulties resulting in this gap in chemoattraction studies in non-model species. One of the outcomes of sperm chemotaxis is sperm accumulation towards high chemoattractant concentrations, which can be easily quantified by measuring sperm concentration. Here, we tested sperm accumulation towards FRF in the zebrafish, Danio rerio, using an ad hoc developed, 3D printed, device (‘sperm selection chamber’). This easy-to-use tool allows to select and collect the sperm that swim towards a chemical gradient, and accumulate in a chemoattractant-filled well thus providing putative evidence for chemoattraction. We found that sperm accumulate in FRF in zebrafish. We also found that none of the sperm quality traits we measured (sperm swimming velocity and trajectory, sperm motility, and longevity) were correlated with this response. Together with the 3D printable project, we provide a detailed protocol for using the selection chamber. The chamber is optimized for the zebrafish, but it can be easily adapted for other species. Our device lays the foundation for a standardized way to measure sperm accumulation and in general chemoattraction, stimulating future research aimed at understanding the role and the mechanisms of sperm chemoattraction by FRF.
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