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The Caenorhabditis elegans mel-11 myosin phosphatase regulatory subunit affects tissue contraction in the somatic gonad and the embryonic epidermis and genetically interacts with the Rac signaling pathway.

Caenorhabditis elegans embryonic elongation is driven by cell shape changes that cause a contraction of the epidermal cell layer enclosing the embryo. We have previously shown that this process requires a Rho-associated kinase (LET-502) and is opposed by the activity of a myosin phosphatase regulatory subunit (MEL-11). We now extend our characterization and show that mel-11 activity is required both in the epidermis during embryonic elongation and in the spermatheca of the adult somatic gonad. let-502 and mel-11 reporter gene constructs show reciprocal expression patterns in the embryonic epidermis and the spermatheca, and mutations of the two genes have opposite effects in these two tissues. These results are consistent with let-502 and mel-11 mediating tissue contraction and relaxation, respectively. We also find that mel-11 embryonic inviability is genetically enhanced by mutations in a Rac signaling pathway, suggesting that Rac potentiates or acts in parallel with the activity of the myosin phosphatase complex. Since Rho has been implicated in promoting cellular contraction, our results support a mechanism by which epithelial morphogenesis is regulated by the counteracting activities of Rho and Rac.

Animals↗

Genetic interactions between CDC31 and KAR1, two genes required for duplication of the microtubule organizing center in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

KAR1 encodes an essential component of the yeast spindle pole body (SPB) that is required for karyogamy and SPB duplication. A temperature-sensitive mutation, kar1-delta 17, mapped to a region required for SPB duplication and for localization to the SPB. To identify interacting SPB proteins, we isolated 13 dominant mutations and 3 high copy number plasmids that suppressed the temperature sensitivity of kar1-delta 17. Eleven extragenic suppressor mutations mapped to two linkage groups, DSK1 and DSK2. The extragenic suppressors were specific for SPB duplication and did not suppress karyogamy-defective alleles. The major class, DSK1, consisted of mutations in CDC31. CDC31 is required for SPB duplication and encodes a calmodulin-like protein that is most closely related to caltractin/centrin, a protein associated with the Chlamydomonas basal body. The high copy number suppressor plasmids contained the wild-type CDC31 gene. One CDC31 suppressor allele conferred a temperature-sensitive defect in SPB duplication, which was counter-suppressed by recessive mutations in KAR1. In spite of the evidence for a direct interaction, the strongest CDC31 alleles, as well as both DSK2 alleles, suppressed a complete deletion of KAR1. However, the CDC31 alleles also made the cell supersensitive to KAR1 gene dosage, arguing against a simple bypass mechanism of suppression. We propose a model in which Kar1p helps localize Cdc31p to the SPB and that Cdc31p then initiates SPB duplication via interaction with a downstream effector.

Alleles↗

Ecological and genetic interactions in Drosophila-parasitoids communities: a case study with D. melanogaster, D. simulans and their common Leptopilina parasitoids in south-eastern France.

Drosophila species are attacked by a number of parasitoid wasps, which constitute an important factor of population regulation. Since Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans share common parasitoid species, their ecology and evolution can hardly be understood without considering parasitoids. After a short review of data available on Drosophila-parasitoid interactions involving D. melanogaster and D. simulans as hosts, we report field and laboratory experiments investigating the ecological role of Leptopilina parasitoids in Drosophila communities of southern France. Seasonal survey of species abundance shows that strong interspecific interactions occur at both tropic levels. D. simulans progressively replaces D. melanogaster in southern areas suggesting competitive displacement. Parasitoids are responsible for very high Drosophila mortality (up to 90% in some fruits). Field data emphasize the importance of selective pressure that parasitoids exert on Drosophila communities. The two Leptopilina parasites (L. heterotoma and L boulardi) have different local abundances, which vary in time, and they also compete for hosts. We show that parasitoids can mediate the coexistence of D. melanogaster and D. simulans in the laboratory, and thus may contribute to their puzzling coexistence in the field. Conversely, hosts exert selective pressures on parasitoids, and development on either D. melanogaster or D. simulans strongly affects fitness of adult wasps in a temperature-dependent fashion. Local variation in host species abundance and diversity could thus account for the genetic differentiation we observed in one parasitoid species. Despite laboratory studies cannot fully explain complex field situations, it is clear that the ecology and evolution of Drosophila populations and communities, especially D. melanogaster and D. simulans, are strongly constrained by parasitoids, which should receive more attention.

Animals↗

Genetic interaction between alpha4 and beta2 subunits of high affinity nicotinic receptor: analysis in schizophrenia.

Cholinergic dysfunction is one of the hypotheses for the cognitive deficits of schizophrenia. Neurocognitive deficits, which are well-described clinical features of schizophrenia, may be remediated by nicotine; therefore investigations of nicotinic receptor subtypes is of considerable clinical interest. We typed polymorphisms in CHRNA4 and CHRNB2 genes controlling the expression of neuronal high-affinity nicotinic receptors in 117 Canadian families having at least one schizophrenic patient. Using a family-based association strategy, we performed allele, haplotype and interaction analysis of these two loci. In the families tested, the two cholinergic genes interact to affect schizophrenia in combination (P=0.010), while neither was sufficient alone to confer susceptibility. Our present study provided the first line of direct evidence suggesting that the CHRNA4 gene combined with CHRNB2 receptor gene may be linked to schizophrenia.

Adult↗

Activated RIC, a small GTPase, genetically interacts with the Ras pathway and calmodulin during Drosophila development.

The mammalian Rit and Rin proteins, along with the Drosophila homologue RIC, comprise a distinct and evolutionarily conserved subfamily of Ras-related small GTP-binding proteins. Unlike other Ras superfamily members, these proteins lack a signal for prenylation, contain a conserved but distinct effector domain, and, in the case of Rin and RIC, contain calmodulin-binding domains. To address the physiological role of this Ras subfamily in vivo, activated forms of the Drosophila Ric gene were introduced into flies. Expression of activated RIC proteins altered the development of well-characterized adult structures, including wing veins and photoreceptors of the compound eye. The effects of activated RIC could be mitigated by a reduction in dosage of several genes in the Drosophila Ras cascade, including Son of sevenless (Sos), Dsor (MEK), rolled (MAPK), and Ras itself. On the other hand, reduction of calmodulin exacerbated the defects caused by activated RIC, thus providing the first functional evidence for interaction of these molecules. We conclude that the activation of the Ras cascade may be an important in vivo requisite to the transduction of signals through RIC and that the binding of calmodulin to RIC may negatively regulate this small GTPase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Genetic interactions between SIN3 mutations and the Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcriptional activators encoded by MCM1, STE12, and SWI1.

SIN3 was first identified by a mutation which suppresses the effects of an swi5 mutation on expression of the HO gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We now show that a sin3 mutation also partially suppresses the effects of swi1 on HO transcription, and partially suppresses the growth defect and inositol requirement observed in swi1 mutants. This suggests that SIN3 and SWI1 may play opposite regulatory roles in controlling expression of many yeast genes. Yeast SIN3 has been shown to function as a negative transcriptional regulator of a number of yeast genes. However, expression of the yeast STE6 gene is reduced in a sin3 mutant strain. This suggests that SIN3 functions as a positive regulator for STE6 transcription, although this apparent activation function could be indirect. In order to understand how SIN3 functions in STE6 regulation, we have performed a genetic analysis. It has been previously demonstrated that MCM1 and STE12 are transcriptional activators of a-specific genes such as STE6, and we now show that SWI1 is also required for STE6 expression. Our data suggest that STE12 and SWI1 function in different pathways of activation, and that STE12 is epistatic to SIN3 and SWI1. We show that the activities of the Mcm1p and Ste12p activators are modestly reduced in a sin3 mutant strain, and that phosphorylation of the Ste12p activator is decreased in a sin3 mutant. Thus, it is possible that the decreased transcription of STE6 in sin3 mutants is due to the combined effect of the diminished activities of Mcm1p and Ste12p.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

E-cadherin missense mutations, associated with hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) syndrome, display distinct invasive behaviors and genetic interactions with the Wnt and Notch pathways in Drosophila epithelia.

Germline mutations in the human E-cadherin (hEcad) gene, CDH1, are initiating events in cases of human hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) indicating that hEcad is a tumor suppressor. Among the hEcad mutations identified so far, some are missense, but the pathological relevance of these missense mutants is still unclear. In vitro assays show that missense mutations result in full-length hEcad molecules that retain some distinct biological activity, but in vivo functional studies in animal models are still lacking. Here we verify the potential of a Drosophila model to in vivo characterize the functional consequences of HDGC-associated germline missense mutations and to identify signaling pathways affected by these mutations. To this end, we have generated transgenic fly strains expressing the wild-type hEcad gene or its missense mutations. Similar to the fly Ecad, expression of wild-type hEcad and missense forms in fly epithelia resulted in their localization to the subapical region. In addition, we verify a genotype-phenotype correlation associated to the specific domain affected by the mutations, because cells expressing normal or missense mutant hEcad display different migratory and invasive behaviors in fly epithelia. We show that some of these effects might be mediated through hEcad interacting with the endogenous fly ss-catenin, Armadillo, thus interfering with the Wnt signaling pathway. Therefore, the use of this simple in vivo system will contribute to characterize the effects that missense hEcad have on cell behavior in a tissue environment, and might help to understand their significance in gastric cancer onset.

Animals↗

Genetic interaction between YPT6 and YPT1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Ypt6p, the yeast homologue of human RAB6, is required for protein trafficking at elevated temperatures. Biochemical data provide evidence that Ypt6p plays a role in an early step(s) of the secretory pathway: from ER to Golgi, or from cis to medial Golgi, or both. Here we show that overexpression of YPT1 suppresses the growth and secretion defects of a ypt6 temperature-sensitive (ts) strain. SLY1-20, encoding a dominant mutant allele that suppresses the lethal effect of YPT1, also suppresses the growth defect of a ypt6 ts strain. Conversely, SSD1, isolated as a suppressor of ypt6 ts, can suppress the growth defect of a ypt1 ts allele. These data suggest that Ypt6p has some redundant function with Ypt1p. However, overexpression of Ypt6p is toxic to a ypt1 ts strain, although it does not affect the growth of wild-type cells, suggesting that Ypt6p may sequester proteins shared with Ypt1p. This genetic evidence confirms the conclusion that Ypt6p is involved in an early step of the secretory pathway.

Biological Transport↗

A novel genetic interaction between daughterless and a variegating rearrangement strain of Drosophila melanogaster.

The effect of the maternal-effect mutation daughterless (da) on the reinverted In(1)BM2 strain of Drosophila melanogaster has been evaluated cytogenetically. Results show that while the variegated nature of the single X chromosome of In(1)BM2(rv) males born to female da/da x male +/+ parents is suppressed, their female sibs, homozygous for the In(1)BM2(rv) chromosome, survive the lethal effect of the absence of da+ product in their zygotes.

Animals↗

Genetic interactions and dosage effects of Polycomb group genes in mice.

In Drosophila and mouse, Polycomb group genes are involved in the maintenance of homeotic gene expression patterns throughout development. Here we report the skeletal phenotypes of compound mutants for two Polycomb group genes bmi1 and M33. We show that mice deficient for both bmi1 and M33 present stronger homeotic transformations of the axial skeleton as compared to each single Polycomb group mutant, indicating strong dosage interactions between those two genes. These skeletal transformations are accompanied with an enhanced shift of the anterior limit of expression of several Hox genes in the somitic mesoderm. Our results demonstrate that in mice the Polycomb group genes act in synergy to control the nested expression pattern of some Hox genes in somitic mesodermal tissues during development.

Animals↗

Genetic interaction between hoxb-5 and hoxb-6 is revealed by nonallelic noncomplementation.

hoxb-5 and hoxb-6 are adjacent genes in the mouse HoxB locus and are members of the homeotic transcription factor complex that governs establishment of the mammalian body plan. To determine the roles of these genes during development, we generated mice with a targeted disruption in each gene. Three phenotypes affecting brachiocervicothoracic structures were found in the mutant mice. First, hoxb-5- homozygotes have a rostral shift of the shoulder girdle, analogous to what is seen in the human Sprengel anomaly. This suggests a role for hoxb-5 in specifying the position of limbs along the anteroposterior axis of the vertebrate body. Second, hoxb-6- homozygotes frequently have a missing first rib and a bifid second rib. The third phenotype, an anteriorizing homeotic transformation of the cervicothoracic vertebrae from C6 through T1, is common to both hoxb-5- and hoxb-6- homozygotes. Quite unexpectedly, hoxb-5, hoxb-6 transheterozygotes (hoxb-5-hoxb-6+/hoxb-5+ hoxb-6-) also show the third phenotype. By this classical genetic complementation test, these two mutations appear as alleles of the same gene. This phenomenon is termed nonallelic noncomplementation and suggests that these two genes function together to specify this region of the mammalian vertebral column.

Alleles↗

Alzheimer's risk associated with human apolipoprotein E, alpha-2 macroglobulin and lipoprotein receptor related protein polymorphisms: absence of genetic interactions, and modulation by gender.

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), the lipoprotein receptor related protein (LRP) and alpha-2 macroglobulin (alpha2M) have been proposed as a functional complex involved in amyloid clearance, a crucial event for Alzheimer's disease development. In this work, we present an epidemiological approach aimed to study the interactions among these genes, age and gender. This approach did not reveal significant associations between the genes; however, the present study indicated that the risk associated with APOE promoter and LRP gene polymorphisms is modulated by gender.

Age Factors↗

RFLP and RAPD analysis of in vivo genetic interactions between strains of Helicobacter pylori.

BACKGROUND: The nature of the in vivo interactions between co-colonizing strains of Helicobacter pylori has not been well studied. This study was designed to investigate the in vivo interaction between strains of H. pylori using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP) and random amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprinting (RAPD) analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mice were orally inoculated with either a single strain or a mixture of strains, and killed at various time intervals up to 12 months after inoculation. RESULTS: Inoculum and recovered bacteria were identified by RAPD and RFLP. After 12 months of colonization, bacteria recovered from mice given a single strain were identical to the inoculum. In contrast, bacteria recovered from mice given a mixture of strains developed minor but consistent differences in their RAPD patterns. This variation occurred in spite of the fact that only single strains were recovered from mice given a mixture of strains. CONCLUSION: These findings support the development of genetic heterogeneity of H. pylori during long-term colonization either by genetic drift or by in vivo recombination. Such genomic modification in vivo could explain the naturally occurring heterogeneity of H. pylori.

Animals↗

Genetic interactions in Streptomyces rimosus mediated by conjugation and by protoplast fusion.

The development of a protoplast fusion technique for oxytetracycline-producing Streptomyces rimosus strains, and its evaluation for the application for a breeding programme, has been described. Treatment of S. rimosus protoplasts with 40% (w/v) PEG 1550 for 30 min gave optimal numbers of recombinants ranging from 1 to 10% of the total progeny. Therefore, by comparison with conjugation, protoplast fusion increased the frequency of recombination by two to three orders of magnitude. The proportion of multiple crossover classes amongst recombinants was higher, by a factor of ten, after protoplast fusion (13.3%) than after conjugation (1.5%). Participation of less frequent complementary genotype doubled from 9.0% in conjugation to 17.9% in protoplast fusion. Overall, this suggested that the opportunities for crossing over in a fusion of S. rimosus protoplasts were spatially and/or temporally extended leading to a loosening of linkage with a near-random assortment of genotypes in a cross. However, by minimizing the multiple crossover classes and calculating allele frequency gradients, it was shown that the protoplast fusion technique allows arrangement of genetic markers on the S. rimosus chromosome. These are ideal characteristics for the recombination of divergent lines in a strain improvement programme.

Conjugation, Genetic↗

Full-length DQ beta cDNA sequences of HLA-DR2/DQw1 subtypes: genetic interactions between two DQ beta loci generate human class II HLA diversity.

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of DQ molecules from three different Dw subtypes (Dw2, Dw12, and Dw21/FJO) of the HLA-DR2/DQw1 haplotype reveals that one alpha beta heterodimer of DQ molecule is expressed by each subtype and the DQ beta chain is electrophoretically variable among the three DR2/DQw1 subtypes. We have constructed cDNA libraries from the same homozygous typing cells used in the two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses (HTC VYT for Dw2, HTC DHO for Dw12, and HTC FJO for Dw21/FJO) and isolated DQ beta cDNA clones with full-length coding sequences for each subtype. The deduced amino acid sequences show that the DQ beta chains of these three DR2/DQw1 subtypes are highly polymorphic and confirm their electrophoretic heterogeneity: for a mature protein of 229 amino acids, they differ with each other by 10-17 amino acids in the first domain and by 3-7 residues in the C-terminal sequence. Comparison among the available DQ beta sequences representing the four major DQ specificities (DQw1, DQw2, DQw3, and DQw4) in the DQ subregion as defined by serologic method suggests that (1) DR2,Dw2,DQw1 and DR3,DQw2 haplotypes probably interact with each other to generate the DQw3 and DQw4 beta alleles and (2) an evolutionary scheme may be proposed to relate the various beta alleles of the four major DQ specificities.

Alleles↗

Exaggerated behavioral phenotypes in Fmr1/Fxr2 double knockout mice reveal a functional genetic interaction between Fragile X-related proteins.

Individuals affected by Fragile X syndrome (FXS) experience cognitive impairment, hyperactivity, attention deficits, social anxiety and autistic-like behaviors. FXS results from the loss of expression of the Fragile X mental retardation (FMR1) gene, whose protein product FMRP is thought to play an important role in neuronal function and synaptic plasticity. Two paralogs of FMRP, FXR1P and FXR2P, have been identified, forming the Fragile X-related (FXR) family of proteins. Although the functions of FXR1P and FXR2P are not well understood, there are similarities among all three FXR proteins in gene structure, amino acid sequence, expression pattern and cellular functions. Mouse models have been described for loss of Fmrp, Fxr1p and Fxr2p, the mouse homologs of FMRP, FXR1P and FXR2P. In earlier studies, we found that Fmr1 knockout (KO) mice, which do not express Fmrp, and Fxr2 KO mice, which do not express Fxr2p, show similarities in some behavioral responses such as hyperactivity. To better understand the functional relationship between FMRP and FXR2P, we generated Fmr1 KO, Fxr2 KO, Fmr1/Fxr2 double KO and wild-type control mice as littermates on the same genetic background and examined them in several behavioral assays. Results show that Fmr1/Fxr2 double KO mice have exaggerated behavioral phenotypes in open-field activity, prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle response and contextual fear conditioning when compared with Fmr1 KO mice, Fxr2 KO mice or wild-type littermates. Our findings suggest that Fmr1 and Fxr2 genes contribute in a cooperative manner to pathways controlling locomotor activity, sensorimotor gating and cognitive processes.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

Molecular marker genotypes, heterozygosity and genetic interactions explain heterosis in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The underlying mechanisms for hybrid vigor or heterosis are elusive. Here we report a population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs), derived from the two ecotypes, Col and Ler, which can serve as a permanent resource for studying the molecular basis of hybrid vigor in Arabidopsis. Using a North Carolina mating design III (NCIII), we determined the additive and dominant nature of gene action in this population. We detected heterosis among crosses of RILs with one of the two parents (Col and Ler) and analyzed genotypes and heterozygosities for RILs and test cross families (RILs crossed to Col and Ler) using a total of 446 published molecular markers. The performance of RILs and additive and dominant components in the test cross families were used to analyze QTLs for 16 traits, using QTL cartographer and composite interval mapping with 1,000 permutations for each trait. Our data suggest that locus-specific and/or genome-wide differential heterozygosity, including epistasis, plays an important role in the generation of the observed heterosis. Furthermore, the hybrid vigor occurred between two closely related ecotypes, and provides a general mechanism for novel variation generated between genetically similar materials.

Arabidopsis↗

Normal testis determination in the mouse depends on genetic interaction of a locus on chromosome 17 and the Y chromosome.

We previously described a locus on chromosome (Chr) 17 of the mouse that is critical for normal testis development. This locus was designated "T-associated sex reversal" (Tas) because it segregated with the dominant brachyury allele hairpin tail (Thp) and caused gonads of C57BL/6J XY, Thp/+ individuals to develop as ovaries or ovotestes rather than as testes. To clarify the inheritance of Tas, we investigated the effects of T-Orleans (TOrl), another brachyury mutation, on gonad development. We found that gonads of C57BL/6J XY, Thp/+ and TOrl/+ mice develop ovarian tissue if the Y chromosome is derived from the AKR/J inbred strain, whereas normal testicular development occurs in the presence of a Y chromosome derived from the C57BL/6J inbred strain. From these observations we conclude that: (1) Tas is located in a region on Chr 17 common to the deletions associated with Thp, and TOrl, and (2) the Y-linked testis determining gene, Tdy, carried by the AKR/J inbred strain differs from that of the C57BL/6J inbred strain. We suggest that in mammals Tdy is not the sole testis determinant because autosomal loci must be genetically compatible with Tdy for normal testicular development.

Animals↗