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ELife May 2024is a powerful model to study how lipids affect spermatogenesis. Yet, the contribution of neutral lipids, a major lipid group which resides in organelles called lipid...
is a powerful model to study how lipids affect spermatogenesis. Yet, the contribution of neutral lipids, a major lipid group which resides in organelles called lipid droplets (LD), to sperm development is largely unknown. Emerging evidence suggests LD are present in the testis and that loss of neutral lipid- and LD-associated genes causes subfertility; however, key regulators of testis neutral lipids and LD remain unclear. Here, we show LD are present in early-stage somatic and germline cells within the testis. We identified a role for triglyceride lipase () in regulating testis LD, and found that whole-body loss of leads to defects in sperm development. Importantly, these represent cell-autonomous roles for in regulating testis LD and spermatogenesis. Because lipidomic analysis of mutants revealed excess triglyceride accumulation, and spermatogenic defects in mutants were rescued by genetically blocking triglyceride synthesis, our data suggest that -mediated regulation of triglyceride influences sperm development. This identifies triglyceride as an important neutral lipid that contributes to sperm development, and reveals a key role for in regulating testis triglyceride levels during spermatogenesis.
Topics: Spermatogenesis; Animals; Male; Triglycerides; Drosophila Proteins; Testis; Drosophila melanogaster; Lipase; Lipid Droplets; Spermatozoa
PubMed: 38805376
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.87523 -
The Journal of Cell Biology Sep 2023Glutathionylation is a posttranslational modification involved in various molecular and cellular processes. However, it remains unknown whether and how glutathionylation...
Glutathionylation is a posttranslational modification involved in various molecular and cellular processes. However, it remains unknown whether and how glutathionylation regulates nervous system development. To identify critical regulators of synapse growth and development, we performed an RNAi screen and found that postsynaptic knockdown of glutathione transferase omega 1 (GstO1) caused significantly more synaptic boutons at the Drosophila neuromuscular junctions. Genetic and biochemical analysis revealed an increased level of glass boat bottom (Gbb), the Drosophila homolog of mammalian bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), in GstO1 mutants. Further experiments showed that GstO1 is a critical regulator of Gbb glutathionylation at cysteines 354 and 420, which promoted its degradation via the proteasome pathway. Moreover, the E3 ligase Ctrip negatively regulated the Gbb protein level by preferentially binding to glutathionylated Gbb. These results unveil a novel regulatory mechanism in which glutathionylation of Gbb facilitates its ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Taken together, our findings shed new light on the crosstalk between glutathionylation and ubiquitination of Gbb in synapse development.
Topics: Animals; Drosophila; Neuromuscular Junction; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Synapses; Drosophila Proteins
PubMed: 37389657
DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202202068 -
Nature Communications Oct 2023The control of Wnt receptor abundance is critical for animal development and to prevent tumorigenesis, but the mechanisms that mediate receptor stabilization remain...
The control of Wnt receptor abundance is critical for animal development and to prevent tumorigenesis, but the mechanisms that mediate receptor stabilization remain uncertain. We demonstrate that stabilization of the essential Wingless/Wnt receptor Arrow/LRP6 by the evolutionarily conserved Usp46-Uaf1-Wdr20 deubiquitylase complex controls signaling strength in Drosophila. By reducing Arrow ubiquitylation and turnover, the Usp46 complex increases cell surface levels of Arrow and enhances the sensitivity of target cells to stimulation by the Wingless morphogen, thereby increasing the amplitude and spatial range of signaling responses. Usp46 inactivation in Wingless-responding cells destabilizes Arrow, reduces cytoplasmic accumulation of the transcriptional coactivator Armadillo/β-catenin, and attenuates or abolishes Wingless target gene activation, which prevents the concentration-dependent regulation of signaling strength. Consequently, Wingless-dependent developmental patterning and tissue homeostasis are disrupted. These results reveal an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that mediates Wnt/Wingless receptor stabilization and underlies the precise activation of signaling throughout the spatial range of the morphogen gradient.
Topics: Animals; Wnt Signaling Pathway; Drosophila Proteins; Wnt1 Protein; Drosophila; Transcription Factors
PubMed: 37798281
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41843-0 -
ELife Sep 2023The acquisition of distinct branch sizes and shapes is a central aspect in tubular organ morphogenesis and function. In the airway tree, the interplay of apical...
The acquisition of distinct branch sizes and shapes is a central aspect in tubular organ morphogenesis and function. In the airway tree, the interplay of apical extracellular matrix (ECM) components with the underlying membrane and cytoskeleton controls tube elongation, but the link between ECM composition with apical membrane morphogenesis and tube size regulation is elusive. Here, we characterized Emp (epithelial membrane protein), a CD36 homolog belonging to the scavenger receptor class B protein family. mutant embryos fail to internalize the luminal chitin deacetylases Serp and Verm at the final stages of airway maturation and die at hatching with liquid filled airways. Emp localizes in apical epithelial membranes and shows cargo selectivity for LDLr-domain containing proteins. mutants also display over elongated tracheal tubes with increased levels of the apical proteins Crb, DE-cad, and phosphorylated Src (p-Src). We show that Emp associates with and organizes the βH-Spectrin cytoskeleton and is itself confined by apical F-actin bundles. Overexpression or loss of its cargo protein Serp lead to abnormal apical accumulations of Emp and perturbations in p-Src levels. We propose that during morphogenesis, Emp senses and responds to luminal cargo levels by initiating apical membrane endocytosis along the longitudinal tube axis and thereby restricts airway elongation.
Topics: Animals; Drosophila melanogaster; Drosophila Proteins; Endocytosis; Morphogenesis; Receptors, Scavenger; Trachea
PubMed: 37706489
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.84974 -
PLoS Genetics Dec 2023Neural regulation of sleep and metabolic homeostasis are critical in many aspects of human health. Despite extensive epidemiological evidence linking sleep dysregulation...
Neural regulation of sleep and metabolic homeostasis are critical in many aspects of human health. Despite extensive epidemiological evidence linking sleep dysregulation with obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, little is known about the neural and molecular basis for the integration of sleep and metabolic function. The RAS GTPase-activating gene Neurofibromin (Nf1) has been implicated in the regulation of sleep and metabolic rate, raising the possibility that it serves to integrate these processes, but the effects on sleep consolidation and physiology remain poorly understood. A key hallmark of sleep depth in mammals and flies is a reduction in metabolic rate during sleep. Here, we examine multiple measures of sleep quality to determine the effects of Nf1 on sleep-dependent changes in arousal threshold and metabolic rate. Flies lacking Nf1 fail to suppress metabolic rate during sleep, raising the possibility that loss of Nf1 prevents flies from integrating sleep and metabolic state. Sleep of Nf1 mutant flies is fragmented with a reduced arousal threshold in Nf1 mutants, suggesting Nf1 flies fail to enter deep sleep. The effects of Nf1 on sleep can be localized to a subset of neurons expressing the GABAA receptor Rdl. Sleep loss has been associated with changes in gut homeostasis in flies and mammals. Selective knockdown of Nf1 in Rdl-expressing neurons within the nervous system increases gut permeability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the gut, raising the possibility that loss of sleep quality contributes to gut dysregulation. Together, these findings suggest Nf1 acts in GABA-sensitive neurons to modulate sleep depth in Drosophila.
Topics: Sleep; Animals; Drosophila melanogaster; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Drosophila Proteins; ras GTPase-Activating Proteins; Sleep Duration; Male; Brain; Intestines; Diet
PubMed: 38091360
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011049 -
Neuroligin 2 governs synaptic morphology and function through RACK1-cofilin signaling in Drosophila.Communications Biology Oct 2023Neuroligins are transmembrane cell adhesion proteins well-known for their genetic links to autism spectrum disorders. Neuroligins can function by regulating the actin...
Neuroligins are transmembrane cell adhesion proteins well-known for their genetic links to autism spectrum disorders. Neuroligins can function by regulating the actin cytoskeleton, however the factors and mechanisms involved are still largely unknown. Here, using the Drosophila neuromuscular junction as a model, we reveal that F-Actin assembly at the Drosophila NMJ is controlled through Cofilin signaling mediated by an interaction between DNlg2 and RACK1, factors not previously known to work together. The deletion of DNlg2 displays disrupted RACK1-Cofilin signaling pathway with diminished actin cytoskeleton proteo-stasis at the terminal of the NMJ, aberrant NMJ structure, reduced synaptic transmission, and abnormal locomotion at the third-instar larval stage. Overexpression of wildtype and activated Cofilin in muscles are sufficient to rescue the morphological and physiological defects in dnlg2 mutants, while inactivated Cofilin is not. Since the DNlg2 paralog DNlg1 is known to regulate F-actin assembly mainly via a specific interaction with WAVE complex, our present work suggests that the orchestration of F-actin by Neuroligins is a diverse and complex process critical for neural connectivity.
Topics: Animals; Drosophila; Actin Depolymerizing Factors; Actins; Drosophila Proteins; Signal Transduction; Receptors for Activated C Kinase
PubMed: 37853189
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05428-3 -
Current Opinion in Genetics &... Feb 2024Specifically timed pulses of the moulting hormone ecdysone are necessary for developmental progression in insects, guiding development through important milestones such... (Review)
Review
Specifically timed pulses of the moulting hormone ecdysone are necessary for developmental progression in insects, guiding development through important milestones such as larval moults, pupation and metamorphosis. It also coordinates the acquisition of cell identities, known as cell patterning, and growth in a tissue-specific manner. In the absence of ecdysone, the ecdysone receptor heterodimer Ecdysone Receptor and Ultraspiracle represses expression of target primary response genes, which become de-repressed as the ecdysone titre rises. However, ecdysone signalling elicits both repressive and activating responses in a temporal and tissue-specific manner. To understand how ecdysone achieves such specificity, this review explores the layers of gene regulation involved in stage-appropriate ecdysone responses in Drosophila fruit flies.
Topics: Animals; Drosophila; Ecdysone; Drosophila Proteins; Steroids; Gene Expression Regulation; Larva; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Drosophila melanogaster
PubMed: 38271845
DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102148 -
Science Advances Apr 2024Polycomb group (PcG) proteins mediate epigenetic silencing of important developmental genes by modifying histones and compacting chromatin through two major protein...
Polycomb group (PcG) proteins mediate epigenetic silencing of important developmental genes by modifying histones and compacting chromatin through two major protein complexes, PRC1 and PRC2. These complexes are recruited to DNA by CpG islands (CGIs) in mammals and Polycomb response elements (PREs) in . When PcG target genes are turned OFF, PcG proteins bind to PREs or CGIs, and PREs serve as anchors that loop together and stabilize gene silencing. Here, we address which PcG proteins bind to PREs and whether PREs mediate looping when their targets are in the ON transcriptional state. While the binding of most PcG proteins decreases at PREs in the ON state, one PRC1 component, Ph, remains bound. Further, PREs can loop to each other and with presumptive enhancers in the ON state and, like CGIs, may act as tethering elements between promoters and enhancers. Overall, our data suggest that PREs are important looping elements for developmental loci in both the ON and OFF states.
Topics: Animals; Polycomb-Group Proteins; Protein Binding; Response Elements; Transcription, Genetic; Drosophila Proteins; CpG Islands; Drosophila melanogaster; Chromatin; Promoter Regions, Genetic
PubMed: 38657072
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn1837 -
The EMBO Journal Aug 2023Cilia are cellular projections that perform sensory and motile functions in eukaryotic cells. A defining feature of cilia is that they are evolutionarily ancient, yet...
Cilia are cellular projections that perform sensory and motile functions in eukaryotic cells. A defining feature of cilia is that they are evolutionarily ancient, yet not universally conserved. In this study, we have used the resulting presence and absence pattern in the genomes of diverse eukaryotes to identify a set of 386 human genes associated with cilium assembly or motility. Comprehensive tissue-specific RNAi in Drosophila and mutant analysis in C. elegans revealed signature ciliary defects for 70-80% of novel genes, a percentage similar to that for known genes within the cluster. Further characterization identified different phenotypic classes, including a set of genes related to the cartwheel component Bld10/CEP135 and two highly conserved regulators of cilium biogenesis. We propose this dataset defines the core set of genes required for cilium assembly and motility across eukaryotes and presents a valuable resource for future studies of cilium biology and associated disorders.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Drosophila; Caenorhabditis elegans; Phylogeny; Cilia; Drosophila Proteins
PubMed: 37317646
DOI: 10.15252/embj.2023113616 -
Autophagy Jul 2023Macroautophagy/autophagy is involved in many aspects of human development including the formation of neuronal circuits. A recent study from Dutta et al. found that the...
Macroautophagy/autophagy is involved in many aspects of human development including the formation of neuronal circuits. A recent study from Dutta et al. found that the recruitment of Egfr (Epidermal growth factor receptor) to synapses suppresses autophagic degradation of presynaptic proteins, a requirement for proper neuronal circuit development. The findings suggest that Egfr inactivation during a distinct critical interval in late development results in increased levels of autophagy in the brain and decreased neuronal circuit development. Furthermore, the presence of brp (bruchpilot) in the synapse is critical for proper neuronal functioning over this same period. Dutta and colleagues found that increased autophagy due to Egfr inactivation results in decreased brp levels and, therefore, reduced neuronal connectivity. Through live cell imaging, it was determined that only the synaptic branches that accumulate both Egfr and brp are stabilized, allowing for the persistence of active zones, further supporting the importance of both Egfr and brp in the brain. While Dutta and colleagues collected these data based on studies conducted on Drosophila brains, the findings provide great insight as to how these different proteins may be implicated in human neurology.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Autophagy; Synapses; Drosophila; Drosophila Proteins; ErbB Receptors
PubMed: 37243688
DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2023.2217015