| 1. |
- Fernius, Josefin, et al.
(author)
-
Bar-coding neurodegeneration: identifying subcellular effects of human neurodegenerative disease proteins using Drosophila leg neurons
- 2017
-
In: Disease Models and Mechanisms. - : COMPANY OF BIOLOGISTS LTD. - 1754-8403 .- 1754-8411. ; 10:8, s. 1027-1038
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Genetic, biochemical and histological studies have identified a number of different proteins as key drivers of human neurodegenerative diseases. Although different proteins are typically involved in different diseases, there is also considerable overlap. Addressing disease protein dysfunction in an in vivo neuronal context is often time consuming and requires labor-intensive analysis of transgenic models. To facilitate the rapid, cellular analysis of disease protein dysfunction, we have developed a fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) adult leg neuron assay. We tested the robustness of 41 transgenic fluorescent reporters and identified a number that were readily detected in the legs and could report on different cellular events. To test these reporters, we expressed a number of human proteins involved in neurodegenerative disease, in both their mutated and wild-type versions, to address the effects on reporter expression and localization. We observed strikingly different effects of the different disease proteins upon the various reporters with, for example, A beta(1-42) being highly neurotoxic, tau, parkin and HTT128Q affecting mitochondrial distribution, integrity or both, and A beta(1-42), tau, HTT128Q and ATX1(82Q) affecting the F-actin network. This study provides proof of concept for using the Drosophila adult leg for inexpensive and rapid analysis of cellular effects of neurodegenerative disease proteins in mature neurons.
|
|
| 2. |
- Fernius, Josefin, et al.
(author)
-
Human TTBK1, TTBK2 and MARK1 kinase toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster is exacerbated by co-expression of human Tau
- 2017
-
In: BIOLOGY OPEN. - : COMPANY OF BIOLOGISTS LTD. - 2046-6390. ; 6:7, s. 1013-1023
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tau protein is involved in numerous human neurodegenerative diseases, and Tau hyper-phosphorylation has been linked to Tau aggregation and toxicity. Previous studies have addressed toxicity and phospho-biology of human Tau (hTau) in Drosophila melanogaster. However, hTau transgenes have most often been randomly inserted in the genome, thus making it difficult to compare between different hTau isoforms and phospho-mutants. In addition, many studies have expressed hTau also in mitotic cells, causing nonphysiological toxic effects. Here, we overcome these confounds by integrating UAS-hTau isoform transgenes into specific genomic loci, and express hTau post-mitotically in the Drosophila nervous system. Lifespan and locomotor analyses show that all six of the hTau isoforms elicit similar toxicity in flies, although hTau(2N3R) showed somewhat elevated toxicity. To determine if Tau phosphorylation is responsible for toxicity, we analyzed the effects of co-expressing hTau isoforms together with Tau-kinases, focusing on TTBK1, TTBK2 and MARK1. We observed toxicity when expressing each of the three kinases alone, or in combination. Kinase toxicity was enhanced by hTau co-expression, with strongest co-toxicity for TTBK1. Mutagenesis and phosphorylation analysis indicates that hTau-MARK1 combinatorial toxicity may be due to direct phosphorylation of hTau, while hTau-TTBK1/2 combinatorial toxicity may result from independent toxicity mechanisms.
|
|
| 3. |
- Gunnar, Erika, et al.
(author)
-
sequoia controls the type I>0 daughter proliferation switch in the developing Drosophila nervous system
- 2016
-
In: Development. - : The Company of Biologists Ltd. - 0950-1991 .- 1477-9129. ; 143:20, s. 3774-3784
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Neural progenitors typically divide asymmetrically to renew themselves, while producing daughters with more limited potential. In the Drosophila embryonic ventral nerve cord, neuroblasts initially produce daughters that divide once to generate two neurons/glia (type I proliferation mode). Subsequently, many neuroblasts switch to generating daughters that differentiate directly (type 0). This programmed type I>0 switch is controlled by Notch signaling, triggered at a distinct point of lineage progression in each neuroblast. However, how Notch signaling onset is gated was unclear. We recently identified Sequoia (Seq), a C2H2 zinc-finger transcription factor with homology to Drosophila Tramtrack (Ttk) and the positive regulatory domain (PRDM) family, as important for lineage progression. Here, we find that seq mutants fail to execute the type I>0 daughter proliferation switch and also display increased neuroblast proliferation. Genetic interaction studies reveal that seq interacts with the Notch pathway, and seq furthermore affects expression of a Notch pathway reporter. These findings suggest that seq may act as a context-dependent regulator of Notch signaling, and underscore the growing connection between Seq, Ttk, the PRDM family and Notch signaling.
|
|
| 4. |
|
|
| 5. |
- Jonsson, Maria, et al.
(author)
-
Aggregated Aβ1-42 Is Selectively Toxic for Neurons, Whereas Glial Cells Produce Mature Fibrils with Low Toxicity in Drosophila
- 2018
-
In: Cell Chemical Biology. - Cambridge, United States : Elsevier BV. - 2451-9456 .- 2451-9448. ; 25:5
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The basis for selective vulnerability of certain cell types for misfolded proteins (MPs) in neurodegenerative diseases is largely unknown. This knowledge is crucial for understanding disease progression in relation to MPs spreading in the CNS. We assessed this issue in Drosophila by cell-specific expression of human Aβ1-42 associated with Alzheimer's disease. Expression of Aβ1-42 in various neurons resulted in concentration-dependent severe neurodegenerative phenotypes, and intraneuronal ring-tangle-like aggregates with immature fibril properties when analyzed by aggregate-specific ligands. Unexpectedly, expression of Aβ1-42 from a pan-glial driver produced a mild phenotype despite massive brain load of Aβ1-42 aggregates, even higher than in the strongest neuronal driver. Glial cells formed more mature fibrous aggregates, morphologically distinct from aggregates found in neurons, and was mainly extracellular. Our findings implicate that Aβ1-42 cytotoxicity is both cell and aggregate morphotype dependent. Jonson et al. used transgenic Drosophila to understand cell-specific response to protein aggregates in neurodegenerative disease. They demonstrate that the Alzheimer-associated peptide Aβ1-42 form various amyloid structures with different toxic properties when expressed in different cell types of the brain. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
|
|
| 6. |
- Jonsson, Maria, et al.
(author)
-
Systematic A beta Analysis in Drosophila Reveals High Toxicity for the 1-42, 3-42 and 11-42 Peptides, and Emphasizes N- and C-Terminal Residues
- 2015
-
In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 10:7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Brain amyloid plaques are a hallmark of Alzheimers disease (AD), and primarily consist of aggregated A beta peptides. While A beta 1-40 and A beta 1-42 are the most abundant, a number of other A beta peptides have also been identified. Studies have indicated differential toxicity for these various A beta peptides, but in vivo toxicity has not been systematically tested. To address this issue, we generated improved transgenic Drosophila UAS strains expressing 11 pertinent A beta peptides. UAS transgenic flies were generated by identical chromosomal insertion, hence removing any transgenic position effects, and crossed to a novel and robust Gal4 driver line. Using this improved Gal4/UAS set-up, survival and activity assays revealed that A beta 1-42 severely shortens lifespan and reduces activity. N-terminal truncated peptides were quite toxic, with 3-42 similar to 1-42, while 11-42 showed a pronounced but less severe phenotype. N-terminal mutations in 3-42 (E3A) or 11-42 (E11A) resulted in reduced toxicity for 11-42, and reduced aggregation for both variants. Strikingly, C-terminal truncation of A beta (1-41, -40, -39, -38, -37) were non-toxic. In contrast, C-terminal extension to 1-43 resulted in reduced lifespan and activity, but not to the same extent as 1-42. Mutating residue 42 in 1-42 (A42D, A42R and A42W) greatly reduced A beta accumulation and toxicity. Histological and biochemical analysis revealed strong correlation between in vivo toxicity and brain A beta aggregate load, as well as amount of insoluble A beta. This systematic Drosophila in vivo and in vitro analysis reveals crucial N- and C-terminal specificity for A beta neurotoxicity and aggregation, and underscores the importance of residues 1-10 and E11, as well as a pivotal role of A42.
|
|
| 7. |
- Yaghmaeian Salmani, Behzad, 1978-, et al.
(author)
-
Evolutionarily conserved anterior expansion of the central nervous system promoted by a common PcG-Hox program
- 2018
-
In: Development. - Cambridge, United Kingdom : The Company of Biologists Ltd.. - 0950-1991 .- 1477-9129. ; 145:7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A conserved feature of the central nervous system (CNS) is the prominent expansion of anterior regions (brain) compared with posterior (nerve cord). The cellular and regulatory processes driving anterior CNS expansion are not well understood in any bilaterian species. Here, we address this expansion in Drosophila and mouse. We find that, compared with the nerve cord, the brain displays extended progenitor proliferation, more elaborate daughter cell proliferation and more rapid cell cycle speed in both Drosophila and mouse. These features contribute to anterior CNS expansion in both species. With respect to genetic control, enhanced brain proliferation is severely reduced by ectopic Hox gene expression, by either Hox misexpression or by loss of Polycomb group (PcG) function. Strikingly, in PcG mutants, early CNS proliferation appears to be unaffected, whereas subsequent brain proliferation is severely reduced. Hence, a conserved PcG-Hox program promotes the anterior expansion of the CNS. The profound differences in proliferation and in the underlying genetic mechanisms between brain and nerve cord lend support to the emerging concept of separate evolutionary origins of these two CNS regions.
|
|
