Title: Strigolactone signaling complex formation in yeast: A paradigm for studying hormone-induced receptor interaction with multiple downstream proteins Yu H, Yang L, Long H, Su X, Wang Y, Xing Q, Yao R, Zhang M, Chen L Ref: Methods Enzymol, 674:519, 2022 : PubMed
Strigolactones (SLs) are bioactive carotenoid derivatives which function as signaling molecules to regulate plant architecture, nutrient absorption and communication with other organisms. The alpha/beta-fold hydrolase, D14, hydrolyzes SLs, and the hydrolysis product activates D14 to bind to downstream signaling partners, including an E3 ubiquitin ligase MAX2 and SMXL6/7/8 proteins. What was not known was whether binding with one downstream partner would alter the affinity of D14 for other binding partners. Here, we developed an efficient yeast four-hybrid (Y4H) detection system and demonstrate that SL induces the interaction of D14 with both SMXL7 and MAX2 in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, using our newly established yeast four-hybrid system, we found that the SL-induced D14 interaction with SMXL7 was strengthened by MAX2 while SMXL7 weakened the SL-induced D14 interaction with MAX2. Our findings provide novel insights into the regulatory effects of these signaling components and shed light on the molecular mechanism controlling the core SL signaling pathway. Furthermore, the heterologous yeast platform used for investigating SL complex formation has great potential to explore dynamic interactions in other signaling pathways or elucidate the unknown complex formation for biosynthesis of the parent carotenoids of SLs.
Title: Identification, characterization and expression analyses of cholinesterases genes in Yesso scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) reveal molecular function allocation in responses to ocean acidification Xing Q, Liao H, Peng C, Zheng G, Yang Z, Wang J, Lu W, Huang X, Bao Z Ref: Aquat Toxicol, 231:105736, 2020 : PubMed
Cholinesterases are key enzymes in central and peripheral cholinergic nerve system functioning on nerve impulse transmission in animals. Though cholinesterases have been identified in most vertebrates, the knowledge about the variable numbers and multiple functions of the genes is still quite meagre in invertebrates, especially in scallops. In this study, the complete cholinesterase (ChE) family members have been systematically characterized in Yesso scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) via whole-genome scanning through in silico analysis. Ten ChE family members in the genome of Yesso scallop (designated PyChEs) were identified and potentially acted to be the largest number of ChE in the reported species to date. Phylogenetic and protein structural analyses were performed to determine the identities and evolutionary relationships of these genes. The expression profiles of PyChEs were determined in all developmental stages, in healthy adult tissues, and in mantles under low pH stress (pH 6.5 and 7.5). Spatiotemporal expression suggested the ubiquitous functional roles of PyChEs in all stages of development, as well as general and tissue-specific functions in scallop tissues. Regulation expressions revealed diverse up- and down-regulated expression patterns at most time points, suggesting different functional specialization of gene superfamily members in response to ocean acidification (OA). Evidences in gene number, phylogenetic relationships and expression patterns of PyChEs revealed that functional innovations and differentiations after gene duplication may result in altered functional constraints among PyChEs gene clusters. Collectively, our results provide the potential clues that the selection pressures coming from the environment were the potential inducement leading to function allocation of ChE family members in scallop.
Reconstructing the genomes of bilaterian ancestors is central to our understanding of animal evolution, where knowledge from ancient and/or slow-evolving bilaterian lineages is critical. Here we report a high-quality, chromosome-anchored reference genome for the scallop Patinopecten yessoensis, a bivalve mollusc that has a slow-evolving genome with many ancestral features. Chromosome-based macrosynteny analysis reveals a striking correspondence between the 19 scallop chromosomes and the 17 presumed ancestral bilaterian linkage groups at a level of conservation previously unseen, suggesting that the scallop may have a karyotype close to that of the bilaterian ancestor. Scallop Hox gene expression follows a new mode of subcluster temporal co-linearity that is possibly ancestral and may provide great potential in supporting diverse bilaterian body plans. Transcriptome analysis of scallop mantle eyes finds unexpected diversity in phototransduction cascades and a potentially ancient Pax2/5/8-dependent pathway for noncephalic eyes. The outstanding preservation of ancestral karyotype and developmental control makes the scallop genome a valuable resource for understanding early bilaterian evolution and biology.
