scholarly journals The role of TORC1 in muscle development in Drosophila.

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Hatfield ◽  
Innocence Harvey ◽  
Erika R. Yates ◽  
JeAnna R. Redd ◽  
Lawrence T. Reiter ◽  
...  

Myogenesis is an important process during both development and muscle repair. Previous studies suggest that mTORC1 plays a role in the formation of mature muscle from immature muscle precursor cells. Here we show that gene expression for several myogenic transcription factors including Myf5, Myog and Mef2c but not MyoD and myosin heavy chain isoforms decrease when C2C12 cells are treated with rapamycin, supporting a role for mTORC1 pathway during muscle development. To investigate the possibility that mTORC1 can regulate muscle in vivo we ablated the essential dTORC1 subunit Raptor in Drosophila melanogaster and found that muscle-specific knockdown of Raptor causes flies to be too weak to emerge from their pupal cases during eclosion. Using a series of GAL4 drivers we also show that muscle-specific Raptor knockdown also causes shortened lifespan, even when eclosure is unaffected. Together these results highlight an important role for TORC1 in muscle development, integrity and function in both Drosophila and mammalian cells.

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. 623-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarida O. Krause

This review represents a synthesis of the work of the author and her collaborators through 40 years of research aimed at an understanding of chromatin composition and functional arrangement. It describes the progressive experimental stages, starting with autoradiography and protein analysis and continuing on to a more functional approach testing the template properties of intact nuclei, as well as nuclei depleted of, or reconstituted with, defined fractions extracted from the chromatin of other cell lines or tissues. As new questions were raised at each phase of these studies, the investigation was shifted from chromosomal proteins to the role of a small RNA that coextracted with one protein fraction and whose properties suggested a transcription-activating function. The active RNA was identified as a class in RNA, designated as 7 SK. Its properties suggested a role in the activation of two oncogenes, the SV 40 T-antigen and the mammalian c-myc gene. A detailed analysis of the c-myc gene expression during transformation induction in temperature-sensitive mammalian cells finally culminated in in vivo evidence for a role of 7 SK in c-myc deregulation, using cells transfected with antisense oligonucleotides to block 7 SK activity. This was followed by an investigation of promoter targeting by 7 SK RNP using electrophoretic mobility shift assays with whole or 7 SK-depleted cell extracts. Taken together, these studies indicate that 7 SK RNP participates in transformation-dependent deregulation of the c-myc gene by activation of two c-myc minor promoters. The implications of these findings are discussed.Key words: chromatin structure, histones, nonhistones, 7 SK RNA, the c-myc gene, transcription regulation, SV 40, transformation.


Biology Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. bio054262
Author(s):  
Li-jie Wang ◽  
Tian Hsu ◽  
Hsiang-ling Lin ◽  
Chi-yu Fu

ABSTRACTThe mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system (MICOS) is a multi-protein interaction hub that helps define mitochondrial ultrastructure. While the functional importance of MICOS is mostly characterized in yeast and mammalian cells in culture, the contributions of MICOS to tissue homeostasis in vivo remain further elucidation. In this study, we examined how knocking down expression of Drosophila MICOS genes affects mitochondrial function and muscle tissue homeostasis. We found that CG5903/MIC26-MIC27 colocalizes and functions with Mitofilin/MIC60 and QIL1/MIC13 as a Drosophila MICOS component; knocking down expression of any of these three genes predictably altered mitochondrial morphology, causing loss of cristae junctions, and disruption of cristae packing. Furthermore, the knockdown flies exhibited low mitochondrial membrane potential, fusion/fission imbalances, increased mitophagy, and limited cell death. Reductions in climbing ability indicated deficits in muscle function. Knocking down MICOS genes also caused reduced mtDNA content and fragmented mitochondrial nucleoid structure in Drosophila. Together, our data demonstrate an essential role of Drosophila MICOS in maintaining proper homeostasis of mitochondrial structure and function to promote the function of muscle tissue.


Glycobiology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurino Carmen ◽  
Vadala’ Maria ◽  
Julio Cesar Morales-Medina ◽  
Annamaria Vallelunga ◽  
Beniamino Palmieri ◽  
...  

Abstract Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an inherited fatal X-linked myogenic disorder with a prevalence of 1 in 3500 male live births. It affects voluntary muscles, and heart and breathing muscles. DMD is characterized by continuous degeneration and regeneration cycles resulting in extensive fibrosis and a progressive reduction in muscle mass. Since the identification of a reduction in dystrophin protein as the cause of this disorder, numerous innovative and experimental therapies, focusing on increasing the levels of dystrophin, have been proposed, but the clinical improvement has been unsatisfactory. Dystrophin forms the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex and its proteins have been studied as a promising novel therapeutic target to treat DMD. Among these proteins, cell surface glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are found almost ubiquitously on the surface and in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of mammalian cells. These macromolecules interact with numerous ligands, including ECM constituents, adhesion molecules and growth factors that play a crucial role in muscle development and maintenance. In this article, we have reviewed in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies focused on the functional role of GAGs in the pathophysiology of DMD with the final aim of summarizing the state of the art of GAG dysregulation within the ECM in DMD and discussing future therapeutic perspectives.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (15) ◽  
pp. 2549-2560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Jirka ◽  
Jasmine H Pak ◽  
Claire A Grosgogeat ◽  
Michael Mario Marchetii ◽  
Vandana A Gupta

Abstract Nemaline myopathy (NM) is the most common form of congenital myopathy that results in hypotonia and muscle weakness. This disease is clinically and genetically heterogeneous, but three recently discovered genes in NM encode for members of the Kelch family of proteins. Kelch proteins act as substrate-specific adaptors for Cullin 3 (CUL3) E3 ubiquitin ligase to regulate protein turnover through the ubiquitin-proteasome machinery. Defects in thin filament formation and/or stability are key molecular processes that underlie the disease pathology in NM; however, the role of Kelch proteins in these processes in normal and diseases conditions remains elusive. Here, we describe a role of NM causing Kelch protein, KLHL41, in premyofibil-myofibil transition during skeletal muscle development through a regulation of the thin filament chaperone, nebulin-related anchoring protein (NRAP). KLHL41 binds to the thin filament chaperone NRAP and promotes ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of NRAP, a process that is critical for the formation of mature myofibrils. KLHL41 deficiency results in abnormal accumulation of NRAP in muscle cells. NRAP overexpression in transgenic zebrafish resulted in a severe myopathic phenotype and absence of mature myofibrils demonstrating a role in disease pathology. Reducing Nrap levels in KLHL41 deficient zebrafish rescues the structural and function defects associated with disease pathology. We conclude that defects in KLHL41-mediated ubiquitination of sarcomeric proteins contribute to structural and functional deficits in skeletal muscle. These findings further our understanding of how the sarcomere assembly is regulated by disease-causing factors in vivo, which will be imperative for developing mechanism-based specific therapeutic interventions.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Jirka ◽  
Jasmine H Pak ◽  
Claire A Grosgogeat ◽  
Michael M Marchetti ◽  
Vandana A Gupta

Nemaline myopathy (NM) is the most common form of congenital myopathy that results in hypotonia and muscle weakness. This disease is clinically and genetically heterogeneous, but three recently discovered genes in NM encode for members of the Kelch family of proteins. Kelch proteins act as substrate-specific-adapters for CUL3 E3 ubiquitin ligase to regulate protein turn-over through the ubiquitin-proteasome machinery. Defects in thin filament formation and/or stability are key molecular processes that underlie the disease pathology in NM, however, the role of Kelch proteins in these processes in normal and diseases conditions remains elusive in vivo. Here, we describe a role of NM causing Kelch protein, KLHL41, in premyofibil-myofibil transition during skeletal muscle development through a regulation of the thin filament chaperone, NRAP. KLHL41 binds to the thin filament chaperone NRAP and promotes ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of NRAP, a process that is critical for the formation of mature myofibrils. KLHL41 deficiency results in abnormal accumulation of NRAP in muscle cells. NRAP overexpression in transgenic zebrafish resulted in a severe myopathic phenotype and absence of mature myofibrils demonstrating a role in disease pathology. Reducing Nrap levels in KLHL41 deficient zebrafish rescues the structural and function defects associated with disease pathology. We conclude that defects in KLHL41-mediated ubiquitination of sarcomeric protein contribute to structural and functional deficits in skeletal muscle. These findings further our understanding of how the sarcomere assembly is regulated by disease causing factors in vivo, which will be imperative for developing mechanism-based specific therapeutic interventions.


BMC Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hye In Ka ◽  
Hyemin Seo ◽  
Youngsook Choi ◽  
Joohee Kim ◽  
Mina Cho ◽  
...  

Abstract Background IK is a splicing factor that promotes spliceosome activation and contributes to pre-mRNA splicing. Although the molecular mechanism of IK has been previously reported in vitro, the physiological role of IK has not been fully understood in any animal model. Here, we generate an ik knock-out (KO) zebrafish using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to investigate the physiological roles of IK in vivo. Results The ik KO embryos display severe pleiotropic phenotypes, implying an essential role of IK in embryonic development in vertebrates. RNA-seq analysis reveals downregulation of genes involved in skeletal muscle differentiation in ik KO embryos, and there exist genes having improper pre-mRNA splicing among downregulated genes. The ik KO embryos display impaired neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and fast-twitch muscle development. Depletion of ik reduces myod1 expression and upregulates pax7a, preventing normal fast muscle development in a non-cell-autonomous manner. Moreover, when differentiation is induced in IK-depleted C2C12 myoblasts, myoblasts show a reduced ability to form myotubes. However, inhibition of IK does not influence either muscle cell proliferation or apoptosis in zebrafish and C2C12 cells. Conclusion This study provides that the splicing factor IK contributes to normal skeletal muscle development in vivo and myogenic differentiation in vitro.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Xu ◽  
Xinge Zhang ◽  
Yue Xin ◽  
Jie Ma ◽  
Chenyan Yang ◽  
...  

AbstractAlcohol-related liver disease (ALD), a condition caused by alcohol overconsumption, occurs in three stages of liver injury including steatosis, hepatitis, and cirrhosis. DEP domain-containing protein 5 (DEPDC5), a component of GAP activities towards Rags 1 (GATOR1) complex, is a repressor of amino acid-sensing branch of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway. In the current study, we found that aberrant activation of mTORC1 was likely attributed to the reduction of DEPDC5 in the livers of ethanol-fed mice or ALD patients. To further define the in vivo role of DEPDC5 in ALD development, we generated Depdc5 hepatocyte-specific knockout mouse model (Depdc5-LKO) in which mTORC1 pathway was constitutively activated through loss of the inhibitory effect of GATOR1. Hepatic Depdc5 ablation leads to mild hepatomegaly and liver injury and protects against diet-induced liver steatosis. In contrast, ethanol-fed Depdc5-LKO mice developed severe hepatic steatosis and inflammation. Pharmacological intervention with Torin 1 suppressed mTORC1 activity and remarkably ameliorated ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis and inflammation in both control and Depdc5-LKO mice. The pathological effect of sustained mTORC1 activity in ALD may be attributed to the suppression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α (PPARα), the master regulator of fatty acid oxidation in hepatocytes, because fenofibrate (PPARα agonist) treatment reverses ethanol-induced liver steatosis and inflammation in Depdc5-LKO mice. These findings provide novel insights into the in vivo role of hepatic DEPDC5 in the development of ALD.


1983 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 527-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Molè-Bajer ◽  
A S Bajer

We have studied the effect of taxol on mitosis in Haemanthus endosperm. Immuno-Gold Stain (IGS), a new immunocytochemical method (17), was used to visualize microtubules (MTs) in the light microscope. Observations on MT arrangements were correlated with studies in vivo. Chromosome movements are affected in all stages of mitosis which progresses over at least 10(4) range of taxol concentrations. The three most characteristic effects on MTs are: (a) enhancement of the lateral associations between MTs, seen especially during the reorganization of the polar region of the spindle, (b) promotion of MT assembly, leading to the formation of additional MTs in the spindle and MT arrays in the cytoplasm, and (c) an increase in MT stability, demonstrated in their increased cold resistance. In this report, the emphasis is on the primary, immediate effects, occurring in the first 30 min of taxol action. Effects are detected after a few mins, are reversible, and are concentration/time dependent. The spindle and phragmoplast are remarkably modified due to the enhancement of lateral associations of MTs and the formation of abundant nonkinetochore and polar, asterlike MTs. The equatorial region of the interzone in anaphase may be entirely depleted of MTs, and the spindle may break perpendicular to the spindle axis. Mitosis is completed in these conditions, providing evidence for the motile autonomy of each half-spindle. Trailing chromosome arms in anaphase are often stretched and broken. Chromosome fragments are transported away from the polar regions, i.e., in the direction opposite to that expected (5, 6). This supplies the first direct evidence of pushing by elongating MTs in an anastral higher plant spindle. These observations draw attention to the relation between the lateral association of MT ends to assembly/disassembly and to the role of such an interaction in spindle function and organization.


Diabetes ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 61 (7) ◽  
pp. 1708-1718 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. P. Cai ◽  
M. Casimir ◽  
S. A. Schroer ◽  
C. T. Luk ◽  
S. Y. Shi ◽  
...  

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 168
Author(s):  
Susanna Fiorelli ◽  
Nicola Cosentino ◽  
Benedetta Porro ◽  
Franco Fabbiocchi ◽  
Giampaolo Niccoli ◽  
...  

Netrin-1 is a laminin-like protein that plays a pivotal role in cell migration and, according to the site of its release, exerts both pro and anti-atherosclerotic functions. Macrophages, key cells in atherosclerosis, are heterogeneous in morphology and function and different subpopulations may support plaque progression, stabilization, and/or regression. Netrin-1 was evaluated in plasma and, together with its receptor UNC5b, in both spindle and round monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) morphotypes from coronary artery disease (CAD) patients and control subjects. In CAD patients, plaque features were detected in vivo by optical coherence tomography. CAD patients had lower plasma Netrin-1 levels and a higher MDMs expression of both protein and its receptor compared to controls. Specifically, a progressive increase in Netrin-1 and UNC5b was evidenced going from controls to stable angina (SA) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. Of note, spindle MDMs of AMI showed a marked increase of both Netrin-1 and its receptor compared to spindle MDMs of controls. UNC5b expression is always higher in spindle compared to round MDMs, regardless of the subgroup. Finally, CAD patients with higher intracellular Netrin-1 levels showed greater intraplaque macrophage accumulation in vivo. Our findings support the role of Netrin-1 and UNC5b in the atherosclerotic process.


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