scholarly journals Integration of heterogeneous functional genomics data in gerontology research identifies genes and pathway underlying aging across species

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason A Bubier ◽  
George L Sutphin ◽  
Timothy J Reynolds ◽  
Ron Korstanje ◽  
Axis Fuksman-Kumpa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Genomics ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Heterogeneous Data ◽  
Related Genome ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Gene Sets ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Analysis System ◽  
The Cost

Understanding the biological mechanisms behind aging, lifespan and healthspan is becoming increasingly important as the proportion of the world's population over the age of 65 grows, along with the cost and complexity of their care. BigData oriented approaches and analysis methods for integrative functional genomics enable current and future bio-gerontologists to synthesize, distill and interpret vast, heterogeneous data. GeneWeaver is an analysis system for integration of data that allows investigators to store, search, and analyze immense amounts of data including user-submitted experimental data, data from primary publications, and data in other databases. Aging related genome-wide gene sets from primary publications were curated into this system in concert with data from other model-organism and aging-specific databases, and used in several application using GeneWeavers analysis tools. For example, we identified Cd63 as a frequently represented gene among aging-related genome-wide results. To evaluate the role of Cd63 in aging, we performed RNAi knockdown of the C. elegans ortholog, tsp-7, demonstrating that this manipulation is capable of extending lifespan. The tools in GeneWeaver enable aging researchers to make new discoveries into the associations between the genes, normal biological processes, and diseases that affect aging, healthspan, and lifespan.

scholarly journals Functional Genomics for the Identification of Modulators of Platelet-Dependent Thrombus Formation

TH Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 02 (03) ◽  
pp. e272-e279
Author(s):  
Elien Vermeersch ◽  
Benedicte Nuyttens ◽  
Claudia Tersteeg ◽  
Katleen Broos ◽  
Simon De Meyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Genomics ◽  
Platelet Reactivity ◽  
Thrombus Formation ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Correlative Analysis ◽  
Genome Expression ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Whole Genome Expression

AbstractDespite the absence of the genome in platelets, transcription profiling provides important insights into platelet function and can help clarify abnormalities in platelet disorders. The Bloodomics Consortium performed whole-genome expression analysis comparing in vitro–differentiated megakaryocytes (MKs) with in vitro–differentiated erythroblasts and different blood cell types. This allowed the identification of genes with upregulated expression in MKs compared with all other cell lineages, among the receptors BAMBI, LRRC32, ESAM, and DCBLD2. In a later correlative analysis of genome-wide platelet RNA expression with interindividual human platelet reactivity, LLRFIP and COMMD7 were additionally identified. A functional genomics approach using morpholino-based silencing in zebrafish identified various roles for all of these selected genes in thrombus formation. In this review, we summarize the role of the six identified genes in zebrafish and discuss how they correlate with subsequently performed mouse experiments.

scholarly journals Calcineurin homologous proteins regulate the membrane localization and activity of sodium/proton exchangers in C. elegans

2016 ◽  
Vol 310 (3) ◽  
pp. C233-C242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Allman ◽  
Qian Wang ◽  
Rachel L. Walker ◽  
Molly Austen ◽  
Maureen A. Peters ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Model ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Homologous Proteins ◽  
Relative Significance ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Fluorescent Tags

Calcineurin B homologous proteins (CHP) are N-myristoylated, EF-hand Ca2+-binding proteins that bind to and regulate Na+/H+ exchangers, which occurs through a variety of mechanisms whose relative significance is incompletely understood. Like mammals, Caenorhabditis elegans has three CHP paralogs, but unlike mammals, worms can survive CHP loss-of-function. However, mutants for the CHP ortholog PBO-1 are unfit, and PBO-1 has been shown to be required for proton signaling by the basolateral Na+/H+ exchanger NHX-7 and for proton-coupled intestinal nutrient uptake by the apical Na+/H+ exchanger NHX-2. Here, we have used this genetic model organism to interrogate PBO-1's mechanism of action. Using fluorescent tags to monitor Na+/H+ exchanger trafficking and localization, we found that loss of either PBO-1 binding or activity caused NHX-7 to accumulate in late endosomes/lysosomes. In contrast, NHX-2 was stabilized at the apical membrane by a nonfunctional PBO-1 protein and was only internalized following its complete loss. Additionally, two pbo-1 paralogs were identified, and their expression patterns were analyzed. One of these contributed to the function of the excretory cell, which acts like a kidney in worms, establishing an alternative model for testing the role of this protein in membrane transporter trafficking and regulation. These results lead us to conclude that the role of CHP in Na+/H+ exchanger regulation differs between apical and basolateral transporters. This further emphasizes the importance of proper targeting of Na+/H+ exchangers and the critical role of CHP family proteins in this process.

scholarly journals Oleic Acid Protects Caenorhabditis Mothers From Mating-Induced Death and the Cost of Reproduction

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo S. Choi ◽  
Cheng Shi ◽  
Jasmine Ashraf ◽  
Salman Sohrabi ◽  
Coleen T. Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Oleic Acid ◽  
Fat Metabolism ◽  
Dietary Supplementation ◽  
Cost Of Reproduction ◽  
Costs Of Reproduction ◽  
Short Term ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Δ9 Desaturase ◽  
The Cost

Reproduction comes at a cost, including accelerated death. Previous studies of the interconnections between reproduction, lifespan, and fat metabolism in C. elegans were predominantly performed in low-reproduction conditions. To understand how increased reproduction affects lifespan and fat metabolism, we examined mated worms; we find that a Δ9 desaturase, FAT-7, is significantly up-regulated. Dietary supplementation of oleic acid (OA), the immediate downstream product of FAT-7 activity, restores fat storage and completely rescues mating-induced death, while other fatty acids cannot. OA-mediated lifespan restoration is also observed in C. elegans mutants suffering increased death from short-term mating, and in mated C. remanei females, indicating a conserved role of oleic acid in post-mating lifespan regulation. Our results suggest that increased reproduction can be uncoupled from the costs of reproduction from somatic longevity regulation if provided with the limiting lipid, oleic acid.

scholarly journals Predicting the Function and Subcellular Location of Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins Similar to Saccharomyces cerevisiae β-Oxidation Enzymes

Yeast ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 188-200
Author(s):  
Aner Gurvitz ◽  
Sigrid Langer ◽  
Martin Piskacek ◽  
Barbara Hamilton ◽  
Helmut Ruis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Zellweger Syndrome ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Subcellular Location ◽  
Peroxisomal Disorders ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Peroxisomal Targeting ◽  
Signal Type ◽  
Targeting Signal

The role of peroxisomal processes in the maintenance of neurons has not been thoroughly investigated. We propose using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism for studying the molecular basis underlying neurodegeneration in certain human peroxisomal disorders, e.g. Zellweger syndrome, since the nematode neural network is well characterized and relatively simple in function. Here we have identified C. elegans PEX-5 (C34C6.6) representing the receptor for peroxisomal targeting signal type 1 (PTS1), defective in patients with such disorders. PEX-5 interacted strongly in a two-hybrid assay with Gal4p–SKL, and a screen using PEX-5 identified interaction partners that were predominantly terminated with PTS1 or its variants. A list of C. elegans proteins with similarities to well-characterized yeast β-oxidation enzymes was compiled by homology probing. The possible subcellular localization of these orthologues was predicted using an algorithm based on trafficking signals. Examining the C termini of selected nematode proteins for PTS1 function substantiated predictions made regarding the proteins' peroxisomal location. It is concluded that the eukaryotic PEX5-dependent route for importing PTS1-containing proteins into peroxisomes is conserved in nematodes. C. elegans might emerge as an attractive model system for studying the importance of peroxisomes and affiliated processes in neurodegeneration, and also for studying a β-oxidation process that is potentially compartmentalized in both mitochondria and peroxisomes.

scholarly journals Microfluidic immobilization and subcellular imaging of developing Caenorhabditis elegans

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan Shivers ◽  
Sravanti Uppaluri ◽  
Clifford P. Brangwynne
Keyword(s):  
Larval Development ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
3D Imaging ◽  
Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Fluorescence Recovery ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Nucleolar Proteins ◽  
Multicellular Organisms

C. elegans has been an essential model organism in the fields of developmental biology, neuroscience, and aging. However, these areas have been limited by our ability to visualize and track individual C. elegans worms, especially at the subcellular scale, over the course of their lifetime. Here we present a microfluidic device to culture individual C. elegans in parallel throughout post-embryonic development. The device allows for periodic mechanical immobilization of the worm, enabling 3D imaging at subcellular precision. The immobilization is sufficient to enable fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) measurements on organelles and other substructures within the same specific cells, throughout larval development, without the use of chemical anesthetics. Using this device, we measure FRAP recovery of two nucleolar proteins in specific intestinal cells within the same worms during larval development. We show that these exhibit different fluorescence recovery as they grow, suggesting differential protein interactions during development. We anticipate that this device will help expand the possible uses of C. elegans as a model organism, enabling its use in addressing fundamental questions at the subcellular scale, including the role of phase transitions in driving spatiotemporal intracellular organization within multicellular organisms.

scholarly journals Signaling by AWC Olfactory Neurons Is Necessary for Caenorhabditis elegans’ Response to Prenol, an Odor Associated with Nematode-Infected Insects

Genetics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 216 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-157
Author(s):  
Tiffany Baiocchi ◽  
Kyle Anesko ◽  
Nathan Mercado ◽  
Heenam Park ◽  
Kassandra Kin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Behavioral Ecology ◽  
Natural Variation ◽  
Isoamyl Alcohol ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Ecological Differences

Chemosensation plays a role in the behaviors and life cycles of numerous organisms, including nematodes. Many guilds of nematodes exist, ranging from the free-living Caenorhabditis elegans to various parasitic species such as entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), which are parasites of insects. Despite ecological differences, previous research has shown that both EPNs and C. elegans respond to prenol (3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol), an odor associated with EPN infections. However, it is unclear how C. elegans responds to prenol. By utilizing natural variation and genetic neuron ablation to investigate the response of C. elegans to prenol, we found that the AWC neurons are involved in the detection of prenol and that several genes (including dcap-1, dcap-2, and clec-39) influence response to this odorant. Furthermore, we identified that the response to prenol is mediated by the canonically proposed pathway required for other AWC-sensed attractants. However, upon testing genetically diverse isolates, we found that the response of some strains to prenol differed from their response to isoamyl alcohol, suggesting that the pathways mediating response to these two odorants may be genetically distinct. Further, evaluations leveraging natural variation and genome wide association revealed specific genes that influence nematode behavior and provide a foundation for future studies to better understand the role of prenol in nematode behavioral ecology.

scholarly journals Predicting the Function and Subcellular Location ofCaenorhabditis elegansProteins Similar toSaccharomyces cerevisiaeβ-Oxidation Enzymes

Yeast ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 188-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aner Gurvitz ◽  
Sigrid Langer ◽  
Martin Piskacek ◽  
Barbara Hamilton ◽  
Helmut Ruis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zellweger Syndrome ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Subcellular Location ◽  
Peroxisomal Disorders ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Peroxisomal Targeting ◽  
Signal Type ◽  
Targeting Signal

The role of peroxisomal processes in the maintenance of neurons has not been thoroughly investigated. We propose usingCaenorhabditis elegansas a model organism for studying the molecular basis underlying neurodegeneration in certain human peroxisomal disorders, e.g. Zellweger syndrome, since the nematode neural network is well characterized and relatively simple in function. Here we have identifiedC. elegansPEX-5 (C34C6.6) representing the receptor for peroxisomal targeting signal type 1 (PTS1), defective in patients with such disorders. PEX-5 interacted strongly in a two-hybrid assay with Gal4p–SKL, and a screen using PEX-5 identified interaction partners that were predominantly terminated with PTS1 or its variants. A list ofC. elegansproteins with similarities to well-characterized yeast β-oxidation enzymes was compiled by homology probing. The possible subcellular localization of these orthologues was predicted using an algorithm based on trafficking signals. Examining the C termini of selected nematode proteins for PTS1 function substantiated predictions made regarding the proteins' peroxisomal location. It is concluded that the eukaryotic PEX5-dependent route for importing PTS1-containing proteins into peroxisomes is conserved in nematodes.C. elegansmight emerge as an attractive model system for studying the importance of peroxisomes and affiliated processes in neurodegeneration, and also for studying a β-oxidation process that is potentially compartmentalized in both mitochondria and peroxisomes.

scholarly journals ROS in AgingCaenorhabditis elegans: Damage or Signaling?

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Back ◽  
Bart P. Braeckman ◽  
Filip Matthijssens
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Aging Process ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Mechanistic Explanation ◽  
Redox Status ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Development And Aging

Many insights into the mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying aging have resulted from research on the nematodeCaenorhabditis elegans. In this paper, we discuss the recent findings that emerged using this model organism concerning the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the aging process. The accrual of oxidative stress and damage has been the predominant mechanistic explanation for the process of aging for many years, but reviewing the recent studies inC. eleganscalls this theory into question. Thus, it becomes more and more evident that ROS are not merely toxic byproducts of the oxidative metabolism. Rather it seems more likely that tightly controlled concentrations of ROS and fluctuations in redox potential are important mediators of signaling processes. We therefore discuss some theories that explain how redox signaling may be involved in aging and provide some examples of ROS functions and signaling inC. elegansmetabolism. To understand the role of ROS and the redox status in physiology, stress response, development, and aging, there is a rising need for accurate and reversiblein vivodetection. Therefore, we comment on some methods of ROS and redox detection with emphasis on the implementation of genetically encoded biosensors inC. elegans.

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