The Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome Gene FOXC1 Contributes to Left-Right Patterning.

Precise spatiotemporal expression of the Nodal-Lefty-Pitx2 cascade in the lateral plate mesoderm establishes the left-right axis, which provides vital cues for correct organ formation and function. Mutations of one cascade constituent PITX2 and, separately, the Forkhead transcription factor FOXC1 independently cause a multi-system disorder known as Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS). Since cardiac involvement is an established ARS phenotype and because disrupted left-right patterning can cause congenital heart defects, we investigated in zebrafish whether foxc1 contributes to organ laterality or situs. We demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9-generated foxc1a and foxc1b mutants exhibit abnormal cardiac looping and that the prevalence of cardiac situs defects is increased in foxc1a-/-; foxc1b-/- homozygotes. Similarly, double homozygotes exhibit isomerism of the liver and pancreas, which are key features of abnormal gut situs. Placement of the asymmetric visceral organs relative to the midline was also perturbed by mRNA overexpression of foxc1a and foxc1b. In addition, an analysis of the left-right patterning components, identified in the lateral plate mesoderm of foxc1 mutants, reduced or abolished the expression of the NODAL antagonist lefty2. Together, these data reveal a novel contribution from foxc1 to left-right patterning, demonstrating that this role is sensitive to foxc1 gene dosage, and provide a plausible mechanism for the incidence of congenital heart defects in Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome patients.

Myomesin is part of an integrity pathway that responds to sarcomere damage and disease.

The structure and function of the sarcomere of striated muscle is well studied but the steps of sarcomere assembly and maintenance remain under-characterized. With the aid of chaperones and factors of the protein quality control system, muscle proteins can be folded and assembled into the contractile apparatus of the sarcomere. When sarcomere assembly is incomplete or the sarcomere becomes damaged, suites of chaperones and maintenance factors respond to repair the sarcomere. Here we show evidence of the importance of the M-line proteins, specifically myomesin, in the monitoring of sarcomere assembly and integrity in previously characterized zebrafish muscle mutants. We show that myomesin is one of the last proteins to be incorporated into the assembling sarcomere, and that in skeletal muscle, its incorporation requires connections with both titin and myosin. In diseased zebrafish sarcomeres, myomesin1a shows an early increase of gene expression, hours before chaperones respond to damaged muscle. We found that myomesin expression is also more specific to sarcomere damage than muscle creatine kinase, and our results and others support the use of myomesin assays as an early, specific, method of detecting muscle damage.

Antagonistic Behaviors of NMY-1 and NMY-2 Maintain Ring Channels in the C. elegans Gonad.

Contractile rings play critical roles in a number of biological processes, including oogenesis, wound healing, and cytokinesis. In many cases, the activity of motor proteins such as nonmuscle myosins is required for appropriate constriction of these contractile rings. In the gonad of the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, ring channels are a specialized form of contractile ring that are maintained at a constant diameter before oogenesis. We propose a model of ring channel maintenance that explicitly incorporates force generation by motor proteins that can act normally or tangentially to the ring channel opening. We find that both modes of force generation are needed to maintain the ring channels. We demonstrate experimentally that the type II myosins NMY-1 and NMY-2 antagonize each other in the ring channels by producing force in perpendicular directions: the experimental depletion of NMY-1/theoretical decrease in orthogonal force allows premature ring constriction and cellularization, whereas the experimental depletion of NMY-2/theoretical decrease in tangential force opens the ring channels and prevents cellularization. Together, our experimental and theoretical results show that both forces, mediated by NMY-1 and NMY-2, are crucial for maintaining the appropriate ring channel diameter and dynamics throughout the gonad.

Still Heart Encodes a Structural HMT, SMYD1b, with Chaperone-Like Function during Fast Muscle Sarcomere Assembly.

The vertebrate sarcomere is a complex and highly organized contractile structure whose assembly and function requires the coordination of hundreds of proteins. Proteins require proper folding and incorporation into the sarcomere by assembly factors, and they must also be maintained and replaced due to the constant physical stress of muscle contraction. Zebrafish mutants affecting muscle assembly and maintenance have proven to be an ideal tool for identification and analysis of factors necessary for these processes. The still heart mutant was identified due to motility defects and a nonfunctional heart. The cognate gene for the mutant was shown to be smyd1b and the still heart mutation results in an early nonsense codon. SMYD1 mutants show a lack of heart looping and chamber definition due to a lack of expression of heart morphogenesis factors gata4, gata5 and hand2. On a cellular level, fast muscle fibers in homozygous mutants do not form mature sarcomeres due to the lack of fast muscle myosin incorporation by SMYD1b when sarcomeres are first being assembled (19hpf), supporting SMYD1b as an assembly protein during sarcomere formation.

The titin A-band rod domain is dispensable for initial thick filament assembly in zebrafish.

The sarcomeres of skeletal and cardiac muscle are highly structured protein arrays, consisting of thick and thin filaments aligned precisely to one another and to their surrounding matrix. The contractile mechanisms of sarcomeres are generally well understood, but how the patterning of sarcomeres is initiated during early skeletal muscle and cardiac development remains uncertain. Two of the most widely accepted hypotheses for this process include the "molecular ruler" model, in which the massive protein titin defines the length of the sarcomere and provides a scaffold along which the myosin thick filament is assembled, and the "premyofibril" model, which proposes that thick filament formation does not require titin, but that a "premyofibril" consisting of non-muscle myosin, α-actinin and cytoskeletal actin is used as a template. Each model posits a different order of necessity of the various components, but these have been difficult to test in vivo. Zebrafish motility mutants with developmental defects in sarcomere patterning are useful for the elucidation of such mechanisms, and here we report the analysis of the herzschlag mutant, which shows deficits in both cardiac and skeletal muscle. The herzschlag mutant produces a truncated titin protein, lacking the C-terminal rod domain that is proposed to act as a thick filament scaffold, yet muscle patterning is still initiated, with grossly normal thick and thin filament assembly. Only after embryonic muscle contraction begins is breakdown of sarcomeric myosin patterning observed, consistent with the previously noted role of titin in maintaining the contractile integrity of mature sarcomeres. This conflicts with the "molecular ruler" model of early sarcomere patterning and supports a titin-independent model of thick filament organization during sarcomerogenesis. These findings are also consistent with the symptoms of human titin myopathies that exhibit a late onset, such as tibial muscular dystrophy.

At the Start of the Sarcomere: A Previously Unrecognized Role for Myosin Chaperones and Associated Proteins during Early Myofibrillogenesis.

The development of striated muscle in vertebrates requires the assembly of contractile myofibrils, consisting of highly ordered bundles of protein filaments. Myofibril formation occurs by the stepwise addition of complex proteins, a process that is mediated by a variety of molecular chaperones and quality control factors. Most notably, myosin of the thick filament requires specialized chaperone activity during late myofibrillogenesis, including that of Hsp90 and its cofactor, Unc45b. Unc45b has been proposed to act exclusively as an adaptor molecule, stabilizing interactions between Hsp90 and myosin; however, recent discoveries in zebrafish and C. elegans suggest the possibility of an earlier role for Unc45b during myofibrillogenesis. This role may involve functional control of nonmuscle myosins during the earliest stages of myogenesis, when premyofibril scaffolds are first formed from dynamic cytoskeletal actin. This paper will outline several lines of evidence that converge to build a model for Unc45b activity during early myofibrillogenesis.

Cellular differentiation in primary cell cultures from single zebrafish embryos as a model for the study of myogenesis.

Culturing cells in vitro can produce a uniform population for the study of cellular differentiation, which is especially useful for the quantification of gene expression or the observation of subcellular structures. In zebrafish, a handful of immortalized cell lines have been used for these purposes, despite being heavily selected by passaging. Methods for primary cell culture of zebrafish embryonic blastomeres have been previously reported, but require combining a large number of genetically heterogeneous embryos, meaning that subsequent cell cultures are not clonal. Without genetically uniform cultures, this model system cannot exploit the wealth of available embryonic lethal mutants in zebrafish. We therefore describe methods for the generation of zebrafish embryonic blastomere cell cultures from single genetically characterized embryos. We examined myogenic differentiation and gene expression in single-embryo cultures from early wild-type embryos, as well as embryos containing an embryonic lethal mutation of unc45b, a myosin chaperone known to be required for sarcomere organization during myogenesis. We also demonstrated the practical usefulness of this technique by experimentally manipulating expression of specific genes in individual embryos before cell culture using standard tools of zebrafish biology such as morpholino-oligonucleotide gene knockdown and transgene-mediated gene expression.

Gdf6a is required for the initiation of dorsal-ventral retinal patterning and lens development.

Dorsal-ventral patterning of the vertebrate retina is essential for accurate topographic mapping of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons to visual processing centers. Bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) growth factors regulate dorsal retinal identity in vertebrate models, but the developmental timing of this signaling and the relative roles of individual Bmps remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the functions of two zebrafish Bmps, Gdf6a and Bmp4, during initiation of dorsal retinal identity, and subsequently during lens differentiation. Knockdown of zebrafish Gdf6a blocks initiation of retinal Smad phosphorylation and dorsal marker expression, while knockdown of Bmp4 produces no discernable retinal phenotype. These data, combined with analyses of embryos ectopically expressing Bmps, demonstrate that Gdf6a is necessary and sufficient for initiation of dorsal retinal identity. We note a profound expansion of ventral retinal identity in gdf6a morphants, demonstrating that dorsal BMP signaling antagonizes ventral marker expression. Finally, we demonstrate a role for Gdf6a in non-neural ocular tissues. Knockdown of Gdf6a leads to defects in lens-specific gene expression, and when combined with Bmp signaling inhibitors, disrupts lens fiber cell differentiation. Taken together, these data indicate that Gdf6a initiates dorsal retinal patterning independent of Bmp4, and regulates lens differentiation.

Myosin assembly, maintenance and degradation in muscle: Role of the chaperone UNC-45 in myosin thick filament dynamics.

Myofibrillogenesis in striated muscle cells requires a precise ordered pathway to assemble different proteins into a linear array of sarcomeres. The sarcomere relies on interdigitated thick and thin filaments to ensure muscle contraction, as well as properly folded and catalytically active myosin head. Achieving this organization requires a series of protein folding and assembly steps. The folding of the myosin head domain requires chaperone activity to attain its functional conformation. Folded or unfolded myosin can spontaneously assemble into short myosin filaments, but further assembly requires the short and incomplete myosin filaments to assemble into the developing thick filament. These longer filaments are then incorporated into the developing sarcomere of the muscle. Both myosin folding and assembly require factors to coordinate the formation of the thick filament in the sarcomere and these factors include chaperone molecules. Myosin folding and sarcomeric assembly requires association of classical chaperones as well as folding cofactors such as UNC-45. Recent research has suggested that UNC-45 is required beyond initial myosin head folding and may be directly or indirectly involved in different stages of myosin thick filament assembly, maintenance and degradation.

The myosin co-chaperone UNC-45 is required for skeletal and cardiac muscle function in zebrafish.

The assembly of myosin into higher order structures is dependent upon accessory factors that are often tissue-specific. UNC-45 acts as such a molecular chaperone for myosin in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, in both muscle and non-muscle contexts. Although vertebrates contain homologues of UNC-45, their requirement for muscle function has not been assayed. We identified a zebrafish gene, unc45b, similar to a mammalian unc-45 homologue, expressed exclusively in striated muscle tissue, including the somites, heart and craniofacial muscle. Morpholino-oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown of unc45b results in paralysis and cardiac dysfunction. This paralysis is correlated with a loss of myosin filaments in the sarcomeres of the trunk muscle. Morphants lack circulation, heart looping and display severe cardiac and yolk-sac edema and also demonstrate ventral displacement of several jaw cartilages. Overall, this confirms a role for unc45b in zebrafish motility consistent with a function in myosin thick filament assembly and stability and uncovers novel roles for this gene in the function and morphogenesis of the developing heart and jaw. These results suggest that Unc45b acts as a chaperone that aids in the folding of myosin isoforms required for skeletal, cranial and cardiac muscle contraction.

Ontogeny and regulation of matrix metalloproteinase activity in the zebrafish embryo by in vitro and in vivo zymography.

Remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) during development, angiogenesis, wound healing, tumor metastasis, and other morphogenetic processes depends on the exquisitely regulated activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Yet very little is known about the activity patterns of these proteases in vivo. We have employed fluorescent MMP-substrates, both in vitro and in vivo, to characterize patterns of MMP activity in the zebrafish embryo. Qualitatively similar patterns of degradation are detected using native Type I or Type IV collagen substrates, suggesting that multiple MMPs are being regulated concomitantly. MMP activity is observed primarily in ECM-rich structures predicted to be undergoing active remodeling, such as the perichordal sheath and somite boundaries. Patterns of Type I and Type IV collagen hydrolysis are similar, but not identical in embryos of any given stage. Conventional gelatin zymography shows MMPs present in embryos as early as 3-somites (11 h) and our in vivo assays detect Type IV collagen degradation at somite boundaries as early as 4-somites (11.5 h). However, we are unable to detect significant in vitro activity using homogenates made from embryos prior to Prim-16 (31 h). Mixed lysate assays demonstrate that this is the result of endogenous inhibitors present in early embryos, suggesting a model of matrix remodeling regulated by spatially heterogeneous MMP inhibition.

unc-119 homolog required for normal development of the zebrafish nervous system.

The UNC-119 proteins, found in all metazoans examined, are highly conserved at both the sequence and functional levels. In the invertebrates Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster, unc-119 genes are expressed pan-neurally. Loss of function of the unc-119 gene in C. elegans results in a disorganized neural architecture and paralysis. The function of UNC-119 proteins has been conserved throughout evolution, as transgenic expression of the human UNC119 gene in C. elegans unc-119 mutants restores a wild-type phenotype. However, the nature of the conserved molecular function of UNC-119 proteins is poorly understood. Although unc-119 genes are expressed throughout the nervous system of the worm and fly, the analysis of these genes in vertebrates has focused on their function in the photoreceptor cells of the retina. Here we report the characterization of an unc-119 homolog in the zebrafish. The Unc119 protein is expressed in various neural tissues in the developing zebrafish embryo and larva. Morpholino oligonucleotide (MO)-mediated knockdown of Unc119 protein results in a "curly tail down" phenotype. Examination of neural patterning demonstrates that these "curly tail down" zebrafish experience a constellation of neuronal defects similar to those seen in C. elegans unc-119 mutants: missing or misplaced cell bodies, process defasciculation, axon pathfinding errors, and aberrant axonal branching. These findings suggest that UNC-119 proteins may play an important role in the development and/or function of the vertebrate nervous system.

RNA interference of peroxisome-related genes in C. elegans: a new model for human peroxisomal disorders.

RNA-mediated interference (RNAi) for the posttranscriptional silencing of genes was used to evaluate the importance of various peroxisomal enzymes and peroxins for the development of Caenorhabditis elegans and to compare the roles of these proteins in the nematode to their roles in yeasts and humans. The nematode counterparts of the human ATP-binding cassette half-transporters, the enzymes alkyldihydroxyacetonephosphate synthase and Delta(3,5)-Delta (2,4)-dienoyl-CoA isomerase, the receptors for peroxisomal membrane and matrix proteins (Pex19p and Pex5p), and components of the docking and translocation machineries for matrix proteins (Pex13p and Pex12p) are essential for the development of C. elegans. Unexpectedly, RNAi silencing of the acyl-CoA synthetase-mediated activation of fatty acids, the alpha- and beta-oxidation of fatty acids, the intraperoxisomal decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, and the peroxins Pex1p, Pex2p, and Pex6p had no apparent effect on C. elegans development. The described analysis of functional gene knockouts through RNAi provides a basis for the use of C. elegans as a valuable model system with which to study the molecular and physiological defects underlying the human peroxisomal disorders.