Mitochondrial respiration and dynamics of in vivo neural stem cells.

Neural stem cells (NSCs) in the developing and adult brain undergo many different transitions, tightly regulated by extrinsic and intrinsic factors. While the role of signalling pathways and transcription factors is well established, recent evidence has also highlighted mitochondria as central players in NSC behaviour and fate decisions. Many aspects of cellular metabolism and mitochondrial biology change during NSC transitions, interact with signalling pathways and affect the activity of chromatin-modifying enzymes. In this Spotlight, we explore recent in vivo findings, primarily from Drosophila and mammalian model systems, about the role that mitochondrial respiration and morphology play in NSC development and function.

Selective autophagy controls innate immune response through a TAK1/TAB2/SH3PX1 axis.

Selective autophagy is a catabolic route that turns over specific cellular material for degradation by lysosomes, and whose role in the regulation of innate immunity is largely unexplored. Here, we show that the apical kinase of the Drosophila immune deficiency (IMD) pathway Tak1, as well as its co-activator Tab2, are both selective autophagy substrates that interact with the autophagy protein Atg8a. We also present a role for the Atg8a-interacting protein Sh3px1 in the downregulation of the IMD pathway, by facilitating targeting of the Tak1/Tab2 complex to the autophagy platform through its interaction with Tab2. Our findings show the Tak1/Tab2/Sh3px1 interactions with Atg8a mediate the removal of the Tak1/Tab2 signaling complex by selective autophagy. This in turn prevents constitutive activation of the IMD pathway in Drosophila. This study provides mechanistic insight on the regulation of innate immune responses by selective autophagy.

Glial Nrf2 signaling mediates the neuroprotection exerted by Gastrodia elata Blume in Lrrk2-G2019S Parkinson's disease.

The most frequent missense mutations in familial Parkinson's disease (PD) occur in the highly conserved LRRK2/PARK8 gene with G2019S mutation. We previously established a fly model of PD carrying the LRRK2-G2019S mutation that exhibited the parkinsonism-like phenotypes. An herbal medicine, Gastrodia elata Blume (GE), has been reported to have neuroprotective effects in toxin-induced PD models. However, the underpinning molecular mechanisms of GE beneficiary to G2019S-induced PD remain unclear. Here, we show that these G2019S flies treated with water extracts of GE (WGE) and its bioactive compounds, gastrodin and 4-HBA, displayed locomotion improvement and dopaminergic neuron protection. WGE suppressed the accumulation and hyperactivation of G2019S proteins in dopaminergic neurons and activated the antioxidation and detoxification factor Nrf2 mostly in the astrocyte-like and ensheathing glia. Glial activation of Nrf2 antagonizes G2019S-induced Mad/Smad signaling. Moreover, we treated LRRK2-G2019S transgenic mice with WGE and found that the locomotion declines, the loss of dopaminergic neurons, and the number of hyperactive microglia were restored. WGE also suppressed the hyperactivation of G2019S proteins and regulated the Smad2/3 pathways in the mice brains. We conclude that WGE prevents locomotion defects and the neuronal loss induced by G2019S mutation via glial Nrf2/Mad signaling, unveiling a potential therapeutic avenue for PD.

Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that leads to tremors and difficulties with balance and coordination. These symptoms are caused by the loss of neurons which release a chemical messenger that is needed to regulate movement called dopamine. Most treatments for this disease work by boosting levels of dopamine in the brain, but this can lead to severe side effects and these drugs often become less effective over time. A traditional Chinese medicine called Gastrodia elata Blume (or GE for short) has previously been reported to relieve symptoms of Parkinson's disease in both human and animal studies when administered as a decoction or formula. However, it is unclear how GE protects dopamine-producing neurons and if this mechanism involves another type of brain cell known as glia that has also been linked to Parkinson's disease. To investigate, Lin et al. studied fruit flies and mice that carry a genetic mutation that produces the symptoms and molecular characteristics of Parkinson's disease. The experiments showed that when the flies and mice were fed food containing water extracts of GE, they experienced less difficulties moving and had a higher number of intact dopamine-producing neurons. Lin et al. found that GE switched on a protein in glial cells located near dopamine-producing neurons. Activation of this protein, called Nrf2, inhibited a signaling pathway in degenerating neurons that leads to the disease state. As a result, less dopamine-producing neurons were damaged and the animals' coordination and balance were maintained. These findings suggest that GE could potentially provide an alternative or complementary therapy for Parkinson's disease, although it still needs to be studied further in humans. If the same effect is observed, the specific compounds in GE that have this protective effect could be isolated and analyzed to see if they could be used for treatment.

Exploring selective autophagy in Drosophila: Methods to identify Atg8-interacting proteins.

Autophagy has been described as a catabolic process in which cytoplasmic material is being recycled under various conditions of cellular stress, preventing cell damage and promoting cell survival. Drosophila has been demonstrated to provide an excellent animal model for the study of autophagy. Here, we provide a detailed experimental procedure for the identification of Atg8a interactors, exploiting the iLIR database, followed by the in vitro confirmation of interactions and in situ detection of the respective proteins.

A nuclear role for Atg8-family proteins.

Despite the growing evidence that the macroautophagy/autophagy-related protein LC3 is localized in the nucleus, why and how it is targeted to the nucleus are poorly understood. In our recent study, we found that transcription factor seq (sequoia) interacts via its LIR motif with Atg8a, the Drosophila homolog of LC3, to negatively regulate the transcription of autophagy genes. Atg8a was found to also interact with the nuclear acetyltransferase complex subunit YL-1 and deacetylase Sirt2. Modulation of the acetylation status of Atg8a by YL-1 and Sirt2 affects the interaction between seq and Atg8a, and controls the induction of autophagy. Our work revealed a novel nuclear role for Atg8a, which is linked with the transcriptional regulation of autophagy genes.

Molecular mechanisms of selective autophagy in Drosophila.

Autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic process in which cytoplasmic material is recycled under various conditions of cellular stress, preventing cell damage and promoting survival in the event of energy or nutrient shortage, or in response to various cytotoxic insults. Autophagy is also responsible for the removal of aggregated proteins and damaged organelles, playing a vital role in the quality control of proteins and organelles. Impairment of autophagy has been linked to various diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, making it a very interesting process for further research. Recent research highlighted that autophagy is not random and can be selective, making it even more important to understand the molecular mechanisms of selectivity at the organismal level. Drosophila has been demonstrated to be an excellent animal model for studying selective autophagy, as the autophagic machinery is highly conserved, although much is still left to be explored. In this review, an overview of autophagy and its selectivity in Drosophila will be presented.

Regulation of Expression of Autophagy Genes by Atg8a-Interacting Partners Sequoia, YL-1, and Sir2 in Drosophila.

Autophagy is the degradation of cytoplasmic material through the lysosomal pathway. One of the most studied autophagy-related proteins is LC3. Despite growing evidence that LC3 is enriched in the nucleus, its nuclear role is poorly understood. Here, we show that Drosophila Atg8a protein, homologous to mammalian LC3, interacts with the transcription factor Sequoia in a LIR motif-dependent manner. We show that Sequoia depletion induces autophagy in nutrient-rich conditions through the enhanced expression of autophagy genes. We show that Atg8a interacts with YL-1, a component of a nuclear acetyltransferase complex, and that it is acetylated in nutrient-rich conditions. We also show that Atg8a interacts with the deacetylase Sir2, which deacetylates Atg8a during starvation to activate autophagy. Our results suggest a mechanism of regulation of the expression of autophagy genes by Atg8a, which is linked to its acetylation status and its interaction with Sequoia, YL-1, and Sir2.

In Vivo Visual Screen for Dopaminergic Rab ↔ LRRK2-G2019S Interactions in Drosophila Discriminates Rab10 from Rab3.

LRRK2 mutations cause Parkinson's, but the molecular link from increased kinase activity to pathological neurodegeneration remains undetermined. Previous in vitro assays indicate that LRRK2 substrates include at least 8 Rab GTPases. We have now examined this hypothesis in vivo in a functional, electroretinogram screen, expressing each Rab with/without LRRK2-G2019S in selected Drosophila dopaminergic neurons. Our screen discriminated Rab10 from Rab3. The strongest Rab/LRRK2-G2019S interaction is with Rab10; the weakest with Rab3. Rab10 is expressed in a different set of dopaminergic neurons from Rab3. Thus, anatomical and physiological patterns of Rab10 are related. We conclude that Rab10 is a valid substrate of LRRK2 in dopaminergic neurons in vivo We propose that variations in Rab expression contribute to differences in the rate of neurodegeneration recorded in different dopaminergic nuclei in Parkinson's.

Targeted kinase inhibition relieves slowness and tremor in a Drosophila model of LRRK2 Parkinson's disease.

In a number of Drosophila models of genetic Parkinson's disease (PD) flies climb more slowly than wild-type controls. However, this assay does not distinguish effects of PD-related genes on gravity sensation, "arousal", central pattern generation of leg movements, or muscle. To address this problem, we have developed an assay for the fly proboscis extension response (PER). This is attractive because the PER has a simple, well-identified reflex neural circuit, in which sucrose sensing neurons activate a pair of "command interneurons", and thence motoneurons whose activity contracts the proboscis muscle. This circuit is modulated by a single dopaminergic neuron (TH-VUM). We find that expressing either the G2019S or I2020T (but not R1441C, or kinase dead) forms of human LRRK2 in dopaminergic neurons reduces the percentage of flies that initially respond to sucrose stimulation. This is rescued fully by feeding l-DOPA and partially by feeding kinase inhibitors, targeted to LRRK2 (LRRK2-IN-1 and BMPPB-32). High-speed video shows that G2019S expression in dopaminergic neurons slows the speed of proboscis extension, makes its duration more variable, and increases the tremor. Testing subsets of dopaminergic neurons suggests that the single TH-VUM neuron is likely most important in this phenotype. We conclude the Drosophila PER provides an excellent model of LRRK2 motor deficits showing bradykinesia, akinesia, hypokinesia, and increased tremor, with the possibility to localize changes in neural signaling.

ROBO2 gene variants in children with primary nonsyndromic vesicoureteral reflux with or without renal hypoplasia/dysplasia.

BACKGROUND: Primary nonsyndromic vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and VUR with renal hypoplasia/dysplasia (VUR-RHD) are common congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT). Sequence variations of the ROBO2 gene were investigated in children with nonsyndromic VUR or VUR-RHD. METHODS: Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) electrophoresis or multiple restriction fragment SSCP (MRF-SSCP), followed occasionally by direct sequencing, was used to screen 103 patients and 200 controls for nucleotide changes. Gene polymorphisms and transposable elements were investigated using bioinformatics. RESULTS: Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms were detected: IVS1-53 and IVS5-31. The frequency of A allele of IVS1-53G>A did not differ significantly between patients and controls. IVS1-53 does not affect mRNA splicing according to in silico analysis. IVS5-31A>G substitution was found in one patient, reported here for the first time in VUR. In silico results demonstrated alteration in two serine/arginine-rich (SR) protein-binding sites and two additional acceptor sites. The ROBO2 gene sequence was found to contain 25.9% transposable elements. CONCLUSION: ROBO2 variants were not found to be associated with nonsyndromic VUR or VUR-RHD, providing further evidence for genetic heterogeneity. The role of transposable elements in ROBO2 gene expression in CAKUT needs further investigation since they are generally considered to be mutagens.

Mutations in ZMYND10, a gene essential for proper axonemal assembly of inner and outer dynein arms in humans and flies, cause primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a ciliopathy characterized by airway disease, infertility, and laterality defects, often caused by dual loss of the inner dynein arms (IDAs) and outer dynein arms (ODAs), which power cilia and flagella beating. Using whole-exome and candidate-gene Sanger resequencing in PCD-affected families afflicted with combined IDA and ODA defects, we found that 6/38 (16%) carried biallelic mutations in the conserved zinc-finger gene BLU (ZMYND10). ZMYND10 mutations conferred dynein-arm loss seen at the ultrastructural and immunofluorescence level and complete cilia immotility, except in hypomorphic p.Val16Gly (c.47T>G) homozygote individuals, whose cilia retained a stiff and slowed beat. In mice, Zmynd10 mRNA is restricted to regions containing motile cilia. In a Drosophila model of PCD, Zmynd10 is exclusively expressed in cells with motile cilia: chordotonal sensory neurons and sperm. In these cells, P-element-mediated gene silencing caused IDA and ODA defects, proprioception deficits, and sterility due to immotile sperm. Drosophila Zmynd10 with an equivalent c.47T>G (p.Val16Gly) missense change rescued mutant male sterility less than the wild-type did. Tagged Drosophila ZMYND10 is localized primarily to the cytoplasm, and human ZMYND10 interacts with LRRC6, another cytoplasmically localized protein altered in PCD. Using a fly model of PCD, we conclude that ZMYND10 is a cytoplasmic protein required for IDA and ODA assembly and that its variants cause ciliary dysmotility and PCD with laterality defects.

Splice-site mutations in the axonemal outer dynein arm docking complex gene CCDC114 cause primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Defects in motile cilia and sperm flagella cause primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), characterized by chronic airway disease, infertility, and left-right laterality disturbances, usually as a result of loss of the outer dynein arms (ODAs) that power cilia/flagella beating. Here, we identify loss-of-function mutations in CCDC114 causing PCD with laterality malformations involving complex heart defects. CCDC114 is homologous to DCC2, an ODA microtubule-docking complex component of the biflagellate alga Chlamydomonas. We show that CCDC114 localizes along the entire length of human cilia and that its deficiency causes a complete absence of ciliary ODAs, resulting in immotile cilia. Thus, CCDC114 is an essential ciliary protein required for microtubular attachment of ODAs in the axoneme. Fertility is apparently not greatly affected by CCDC114 deficiency, and qPCR shows that this may explained by low transcript expression in testis compared to ciliated respiratory epithelium. One CCDC114 mutation, c.742G>A, dating back to at least the 1400s, presents an important diagnostic and therapeutic target in the isolated Dutch Volendam population.