Functional and structural differences between skinned and intact muscle preparations

Myofilaments and their associated proteins, which together constitute the sarcomeres, provide the molecular-level basis for contractile function in all muscle types. In intact muscle, sarcomere-level contraction is strongly coupled to other cellular subsystems, in particular the sarcolemmal membrane. Skinned muscle preparations (where the sarcolemma has been removed or permeabilized) are an experimental system designed to probe contractile mechanisms independently of the sarcolemma. Over the last few decades, experiments performed using permeabilized preparations have been invaluable for clarifying the understanding of contractile mechanisms in both skeletal and cardiac muscle. Today, the technique is increasingly harnessed for preclinical and/or pharmacological studies that seek to understand how interventions will impact intact muscle contraction. In this context, intrinsic functional and structural differences between skinned and intact muscle pose a major interpretational challenge. This review first surveys measurements that highlight these differences in terms of the sarcomere structure, passive and active tension generation, and calcium dependence. We then highlight the main practical challenges and caveats faced by experimentalists seeking to emulate the physiological conditions of intact muscle. Gaining an awareness of these complexities is essential for putting experiments in due perspective.

IntroductionIn striated muscle, force is generated by sarcomeres located within myocytes (Bers, 2001, 2002). The sarcomere is located within the selectively permeable cell membrane, which supports intracellular ionic homeostasis. Within this highly regulated space, sarcomere force generation is activated by dynamic changes in cytosolic Ca²⁺. The sarcomeric protein troponin C (TnC) binds to Ca²⁺, which prompts the formation of myosin cross-bridges between the sarcomere thick (myosin) and thin (actin) filaments. These myofilaments are arranged in a regular lattice oriented along the muscle fiber direction and form the main structural basis of myocyte contraction. The contraction process is regulated by many other intracellular molecules and ions, in particular Mg²⁺ and H⁺, as well as by cellular and sarcomeric morphologies.To identify the ionic and molecular mechanisms that regulate the sarcomere, it is necessary to control the chemical environment it is exposed to. The biochemistry of the sarcomere proteins can be studied using in vitro biochemistry assays. However, these fail to account for the regular structure of the sarcomere, which is important for both biochemistry and function. Alternatively, the sarcomeres can be accessed by skinning the muscle, i.e., removing the sarcolemma membrane (or making it permeable to compounds and ions), while preserving sarcomere functionality (Curtin et al., 2015). Exposing the sarcomeres to tailored ionic conditions provides a means to observe and control molecular behavior in a setting that more closely resembles native structures. After skinning, the sarcomere system is effectively isolated from the other cellular subsystems (except in some skeletal muscle experiments that remove the sarcolemma while preserving intracellular organelles and structures; Donaldson, 1985; Fill and Best, 1988; Posterino et al., 2000). This facilitates the study of contraction and its regulation separately from the sarcolemma. The central assumption of skinned muscle experiments is that the response of the sarcomeres to changes in the natural cytosol can be reproduced artificially and controllably through analogous changes in the bathing solution.In skinning protocols (typically used with skeletal muscle) where the SR is preserved, applying caffeine liberates the intracellular Ca²⁺ reserves to stimulate contraction (Donaldson, 1985). In cases where the T tubules are preserved in the skinning process, ionic substitution in the bathing solution may induce T-tubule membrane depolarization and hence Ca²⁺ release from the SR (Fill and Best, 1988). An alternative approach to releasing SR calcium is by electric-field stimulation, with the electric field applied transversely relative to the fiber direction (Posterino et al., 2000).The principal readouts of skinned-muscle experiments are contraction kinetics, adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity, and generated force. Their value therefore rests on the premise that the structural integrity of the sarcomeres is preserved. Under this condition, skinned muscle may be viewed as an intermediary experimental system, straddling intact muscle and in vitro molecular experiments.Skinned preparations allow the probing of muscle behavior beyond the current reach of experiments on intact systems. In experiments where contraction is elicited by controlling the bath [Ca²⁺], the influence of “cytosolic” conditions on Ca²⁺ sensitivity, in the steady-state, is typically presented in terms of Hill-type force-[Ca²⁺] relationships, or “F-pCa,” where pCa ≡ − log₁₀[Ca²⁺]/(mol/liter). Other intracellular molecular structures that fulfill structural and mechanical roles (e.g., titin [Cazorla et al., 2001; Fukuda and Granzier, 2005; Fukuda et al., 2005; Li et al., 2016; Tonino et al., 2017] or the cytoskeleton [Roos and Brady, 1989]) can also be investigated. The controlled progression of the system from one equilibrium state to another has helped to reveal, for example, hysteresis in F-pCa, which may potentially fulfill a physiological role but would be difficult to identify in the dynamic natural system (Bers, 2001; Harrison et al., 1988). Dynamic mechanical experiments also yield insight into myofilament kinetics (Breithaupt et al., 2019; Palmer et al., 2020; Stelzer et al., 2006; Terui et al., 2010). In some (mechanical) skinning methods that preserve the T tubules, further details of the excitation–contraction coupling become experimentally accessible (Fill and Best, 1988; Posterino et al., 2000). The ability to perform protein-exchange manipulations (e.g., cardiac versus skeletal TnC; Babu et al., 1988; Gulati and Babu, 1989), to include fluorescent proteins (e.g., troponin; Brenner et al., 1999), and to perform time-resolved dynamics measurements through the flash photolysis of caged compounds (ATP [Goldman et al., 1982, 1984], inorganic phosphate [Araujo and Walker, 1996; Dantzig et al., 1992; Millar and Homsher, 1990; Tesi et al., 2000], and Ca²⁺ chelators [Luo et al., 2002; Wahr et al., 1998]) provide additional handles for probing molecular mechanisms. Overall, much of our understanding of striated muscle generally and cytosolic conditions (temperature, pH, etc.) is derived from skinned-muscle experiments (Bers, 2001).Historically, skinning has been performed in a wide array of animal species and striated muscle systems, ranging from single cells to multicellular fibers of cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle. Various skinning techniques have been proposed. In “mechanical” skinning, the sarcolemma is effectively peeled off (entirely or partially; Cassens et al., 1986; Endo, 1977; Trube, 1978) by microdissection (Azimi et al., 2020; Donaldson, 1985; Fabiato, 1985b; Fabiato and Fabiato, 1975, 1977, 1978a, 1978b; Fill and Best, 1988; Godt, 1974; Godt and Maughan, 1977; Jewell, 1977; Lamb and Stephenson, 2018; Matsubara and Elliott, 1972; Moisescu, 1976; Rebbeck et al., 2020), while preserving the structural integrity and function of the T tubules and the SR (Lamb and Stephenson, 1990; Posterino et al., 2000; Stephenson, 1981). However, the technique is difficult and no longer used routinely. In contrast, “chemical” skinning involves dissolving or permeabilizing the membrane by applying a chemical agent. The most common agent is Triton X-100 (Solaro et al., 1971), but alternatives include Brij (Hibberd and Jewell, 1982), lubrol (Scheld et al., 1989), glycerol, and saponin (Edes et al., 1995; Endo and Iino, 1980; Gwathmey and Hajjar, 1990; Launikonis and Stephenson, 1997; Patel et al., 2001). Chemical skinning is particularly appropriate for multicellular tissue preparations. Controlling the precise protocol and chemical agent reportedly allows the selective dissolution of the sarcolemma membrane while leaving intracellular organelles (mitochondria and SR) intact. Nonetheless, treatment with (typically 1%) Triton X-100 frees the myofibrils of contamination by mitochondrial, sarcolemmal, and SR membranes while preserving ATPase activity and sensitivity to Ca²⁺ (Solaro et al., 1971). This straightforwardness makes Triton X-100 demembranation the predominantly used technique today. Other reported skinning approaches use propionate (Reuben et al., 1971) or the Ca²⁺ chelators EGTA or EDTA (Thomas, 1960; Winegard, 1971; Miller, 1979), but the uncertainty in the underlying mechanisms has undermined the reliability of these methods (Miller, 1979). For completeness, we also mention a less used “freeze drying” approach that arguably preserves the protein content of the fibers better than chemical skinning (De Beer et al., 1992; Schiereck et al., 1993; Stienen et al., 1983).Although, for many years, skinned muscle experiments have served as an invaluable method for investigating fundamental physiology, they are increasingly inspiring more ambitious practical applications. At a practical level, live human cells are inevitably a highly scarce resource, with facilities for collecting, storing, and measuring samples often being displaced both geographically and temporally. These issues are more realistically resolved with skinned cells, which can be preserved frozen for several months (Mosqueira et al., 2019). The development of new sarcomere drugs, including omecamtiv mecarbil and mavacamten, demonstrate that the sarcomere is a viable drug target (Tsukamoto, 2019). Similarly, Ca²⁺-sensitizing drugs (which act by increasing either the sensitivity to [Ca²⁺] or the magnitude of the generated force) such as levosimendan (Edes et al., 1995), pimobendan (Fitton and Brogden, 1994; Scheld et al., 1989), sulmazole (Solaro and Rüegg, 1982), isomazole (Lues et al., 1988), and EMD-57033 (Gross et al., 1993; Lee and Allen, 1997) have all been assessed using measurements on skinned fibers. Identifying further novel sarcomere modulator compounds requires large high-throughput screening, which is unrealistic using intact muscle.There is also a growing appetite for exploiting the quantitative value of skinned muscle experiments for more direct clinical applications, such as guiding patient-specific therapies. Much of this ambition relies on the integrative power of computational models to simulate human heart mechanics based on individual patients’ data, linking sub-cellular mechanisms with systemic behavior (Niederer et al., 2019a, 2019b). Building upon basic understanding of muscle behavior, recent developments in biomedical engineering extrapolate physiological processes at the cellular and tissue levels to predict global whole-heart function. As this field continues to grow in maturity, and as model predictions allow more meaningful comparisons with clinical data, efforts are increasingly focusing on quantitatively elucidating the interdependence between cellular behavior, tissue properties, and the anatomy. The quantitative accuracy of the subsystems at all these levels therefore becomes paramount.In both of these evolving applications, the relevance and value of skinned-muscle experiments hinges on their ability to reliably emulate the intact system (Land et al., 2017; Margara et al., 2021; Mijailovich et al., 2021). Skinned-muscle experiments conducted over the past decades confirm the fidelity, in many respects, of these preparations as valid experimental models. However, they also highlight caveats and significant interpretational challenges. Gaining an awareness of these issues is becoming all the more essential to avoid misinterpretations that may have practical consequences. This review therefore aims to highlight these challenges, to help users of skinned-based measurements put them in an appropriate perspective.The present review is structured as follows. We first compare measurements of the principal physiological properties of skinned and intact muscle, highlighting similarities and discrepancies. We focus primarily on chemical skinning, and in particular Triton X-100 (the predominantly used chemical agent). We then describe practical challenges involved in conducting experiments, insofar as they impact on measurement outcomes. We conclude with a summary of recommendations and main caveats.Comparing skinned and intact muscleSkinned muscle experiments aim to reveal and controllably reproduce features of the physiological function of sarcomeres. However, notable discrepancies arise between skinned- and intact-muscle measurements of basic muscle properties that govern overall muscle function. To establish these differences rigorously at the single-cell level encounters significant methodological challenges. Although it might seem obvious that this would require doing measurements systematically on both preparation types in tandem, many early experiments were done predominantly on skinned rather than on intact cells (King et al., 2011). This stems largely from the specific challenges of noninjurious cell attachment and performing small-force measurement on intact single cells (Brady, 1991). More recently, technical developments (e.g., involving the use of flexible carbon fibers to hold the cells at opposite ends; Iribe et al., 2007; Le Guennec et al., 1990; Yasuda et al., 2001) have made these measurements more practicable. Despite these advances, however, only a fraction of studies in the literature have systematically made direct comparisons between skinned and intact systems taken from the same species under optimally similar conditions (see the selection listed in

Arabidopsis LON2 Is Necessary for Peroxisomal Function and Sustained Matrix Protein Import

Relatively little is known about the small subset of peroxisomal proteins with predicted protease activity. Here, we report that the peroxisomal LON2 (At5g47040) protease facilitates matrix protein import into Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) peroxisomes. We identified T-DNA insertion alleles disrupted in five of the nine confirmed or predicted peroxisomal proteases and found only two—lon2 and deg15, a mutant defective in the previously described PTS2-processing protease (DEG15/At1g28320)—with phenotypes suggestive of peroxisome metabolism defects. Both lon2 and deg15 mutants were mildly resistant to the inhibitory effects of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) on root elongation, but only lon2 mutants were resistant to the stimulatory effects of IBA on lateral root production or displayed Suc dependence during seedling growth. lon2 mutants displayed defects in removing the type 2 peroxisome targeting signal (PTS2) from peroxisomal malate dehydrogenase and reduced accumulation of 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase, another PTS2-containing protein; both defects were not apparent upon germination but appeared in 5- to 8-d-old seedlings. In lon2 cotyledon cells, matrix proteins were localized to peroxisomes in 4-d-old seedlings but mislocalized to the cytosol in 8-d-old seedlings. Moreover, a PTS2-GFP reporter sorted to peroxisomes in lon2 root tip cells but was largely cytosolic in more mature root cells. Our results indicate that LON2 is needed for sustained matrix protein import into peroxisomes. The delayed onset of matrix protein sorting defects may account for the relatively weak Suc dependence following germination, moderate IBA-resistant primary root elongation, and severe defects in IBA-induced lateral root formation observed in lon2 mutants.Peroxisomes are single-membrane-bound organelles found in most eukaryotes. Peroxin (PEX) proteins are necessary for various aspects of peroxisome biogenesis, including matrix protein import (for review, see Distel et al., 1996; Schrader and Fahimi, 2008). Most matrix proteins are imported into peroxisomes from the cytosol using one of two targeting signals, a C-terminal type 1 peroxisome-targeting signal (PTS1) or a cleavable N-terminal type 2 peroxisome-targeting signal (PTS2) (Reumann, 2004). PTS1- and PTS2-containing proteins are bound in the cytosol by soluble matrix protein receptors, escorted to the peroxisome membrane docking complex, and translocated into the peroxisome matrix (for review, see Platta and Erdmann, 2007). Once in the peroxisome, many matrix proteins participate in metabolic pathways, such as β-oxidation, hydrogen peroxide decomposition, and photorespiration (for review, see Gabaldon et al., 2006; Poirier et al., 2006).In addition to metabolic enzymes, several proteases are found in the peroxisome matrix. Only one protease, DEG15/Tysnd1, has a well-defined role in peroxisome biology. The rat Tysnd1 protease removes the targeting signal after PTS2-containing proteins enter the peroxisome and also processes certain PTS1-containing β-oxidation enzymes (Kurochkin et al., 2007). Similarly, the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) Tysnd1 homolog DEG15 (At1g28320) is a peroxisomal Ser protease that removes PTS2 targeting signals (Helm et al., 2007; Schuhmann et al., 2008).In contrast with DEG15, little is known about the other eight Arabidopsis proteins that are annotated as proteases in the AraPerox database of putative peroxisomal proteins (Reumann et al., 2004; Carter et al., 2004; Shimaoka et al., 2004), which, in combination with the minor PTS found in both of these predicted proteases (Reumann, 2004), suggests that these enzymes may not be peroxisomal. Along with DEG15, only two of the predicted peroxisomal proteases, an M16 metalloprotease (At2g41790), which we have named PXM16 for peroxisomal M16 protease, and a Lon-related protease (At5g47040/LON2; Ostersetzer et al., 2007), are found in the proteome of peroxisomes purified from Arabidopsis suspension cells (Eubel et al., 2008). DEG15 and LON2 also have been validated as peroxisomally targeted using GFP fusions (Ostersetzer et al., 2007; Schuhmann et al., 2008).

Table I.

Putative Arabidopsis proteases predicted or demonstrated to be peroxisomal

Retrograde Intraflagellar Transport Mutants Identify Complex A Proteins With Multiple Genetic Interactions in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The intraflagellar transport machinery is required for the assembly of cilia. It has been investigated by biochemical, genetic, and computational methods that have identified at least 21 proteins that assemble into two subcomplexes. It has been hypothesized that complex A is required for retrograde transport. Temperature-sensitive mutations in FLA15 and FLA17 show defects in retrograde intraflagellar transport (IFT) in Chlamydomonas. We show that IFT144 and IFT139, two complex A proteins, are encoded by FLA15 and FLA17, respectively. The fla15 allele is a missense mutation in a conserved cysteine and the fla17 allele is an in-frame deletion of three exons. The flagellar assembly defect of each mutant is rescued by the respective transgenes. In fla15 and fla17 mutants, bulges form in the distal one-third of the flagella at the permissive temperature and this phenotype is also rescued by the transgenes. These bulges contain the complex B component IFT74/72, but not α-tubulin or p28, a component of an inner dynein arm, which suggests specificity with respect to the proteins that accumulate in these bulges. IFT144 and IFT139 are likely to interact with each other and other proteins on the basis of three distinct genetic tests: (1) Double mutants display synthetic flagellar assembly defects at the permissive temperature, (2) heterozygous diploid strains exhibit second-site noncomplemention, and (3) transgenes confer two-copy suppression. Since these tests show different levels of phenotypic sensitivity, we propose they illustrate different gradations of gene interaction between complex A proteins themselves and with a complex B protein (IFT172).CILIA and flagella are microtubule-based organelles that are found on most mammalian cells. They provide motility to cells and participate in many sensory processes. Defects in or loss of cilia/flagella cause a variety of human diseases that include polycystic kidney disease, retinal degeneration, infertility, obesity, respiratory defects, left–right axis determination, and polydactyly (Fliegauf et al. 2007). Mouse mutants demonstrate that cilia are essential for viability, neural tube closure, and bone development (Eggenschwiler and Anderson 2007; Fliegauf et al. 2007). Cilia and flagella are also present in protists, algae, moss, and some fungi.The assembly and maintenance of cilia and flagella require intraflagellar transport (IFT) (Kozminski et al. 1995). IFT involves the movement of 100- to 200-nm-long protein particles from the basal body located in the cell body to the tip of the flagella using the heterotrimeric kinesin-2 (anterograde movement) (Kozminski et al. 1995) and movement back to the cell body (retrograde movement) using the cytoplasmic dynein complex (Pazour et al. 1999; Porter et al. 1999). IFT particles change their direction of movement as well as their size, speed, and frequency at the ends of the flagella as they switch from anterograde to retrograde movement (Iomini et al. 2001). Biochemical isolation of IFT particles reveals that they are composed of at least 16 proteins and that these particles can be dissociated into two complexes in vitro by changing the salt concentration (Cole et al. 1998; Piperno et al. 1998). Recent genetic and bioinformatics analysis adds at least 7 more proteins to the IFT particle (Follit et al. 2009) (Eggenschwiler and Anderson 2007).

TABLE 1

Proteins and gene names for the intraflagellar transport particles in Chlamydomonas, C. elegans, and mouse

Variation in Adult Plant Phenotypes and Partitioning among Seed and Stem-Borne Roots across Brachypodium distachyon Accessions to Exploit in Breeding Cereals for Well-Watered and Drought Environments

Seedling roots enable plant establishment. Their small phenotypes are measured routinely. Adult root systems are relevant to yield and efficiency, but phenotyping is challenging. Root length exceeds the volume of most pots. Field studies measure partial adult root systems through coring or use seedling roots as adult surrogates. Here, we phenotyped 79 diverse lines of the small grass model Brachypodium distachyon to adults in 50-cm-long tubes of soil with irrigation; a subset of 16 lines was droughted. Variation was large (total biomass, ×8; total root length [TRL], ×10; and root mass ratio, ×6), repeatable, and attributable to genetic factors (heritabilities ranged from approximately 50% for root growth to 82% for partitioning phenotypes). Lines were dissected into seed-borne tissues (stem and primary seminal axile roots) and stem-borne tissues (tillers and coleoptile and leaf node axile roots) plus branch roots. All lines developed one seminal root that varied, with branch roots, from 31% to 90% of TRL in the well-watered condition. With drought, 100% of TRL was seminal, regardless of line because nodal roots were almost always inhibited in drying topsoil. Irrigation stimulated nodal roots depending on genotype. Shoot size and tillers correlated positively with roots with irrigation, but partitioning depended on genotype and was plastic with drought. Adult root systems of B. distachyon have genetic variation to exploit to increase cereal yields through genes associated with partitioning among roots and their responsiveness to irrigation. Whole-plant phenotypes could enhance gain for droughted environments because root and shoot traits are coselected.Adult plant root systems are relevant to the size and efficiency of seed yield. They supply water and nutrients for the plant to acquire biomass, which is positively correlated to the harvest index (allocation to seed grain), and the stages of flowering and grain development. Modeling in wheat (Triticum aestivum) suggested that an extra 10 mm of water absorbed by such adult root systems during grain filling resulted in an increase of approximately 500 kg grain ha⁻¹ (Manschadi et al., 2006). This was 25% above the average annual yield of wheat in rain-fed environments of Australia. This number was remarkably close to experimental data obtained in the field in Australia (Kirkegaard et al., 2007). Together, these modeling and field experiments have shown that adult root systems are critical for water absorption and grain yield in cereals, such as wheat, emphasizing the importance of characterizing adult root systems to identify phenotypes for productivity improvements.Most root phenotypes, however, have been described for seedling roots. Seedling roots are essential for plant establishment, and hence, the plant’s potential to set seed. For technical reasons, seedlings are more often screened than adult plants because of the ease of handling smaller plants and the high throughput. Seedling-stage phenotyping may also improve overall reproducibility of results because often, growth media are soil free. Seedling soil-free root phenotyping conditions are well suited to dissecting fine and sensitive mechanisms, such as lateral root initiation (Casimiro et al., 2003; Péret et al., 2009a, 2009b). A number of genes underlying root processes have been identified or characterized using seedlings, notably with the dicotyledonous models Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana; Mouchel et al., 2004; Fitz Gerald et al., 2006; Yokawa et al., 2013) and Medicago truncatula (Laffont et al., 2010) and the cereals maize (Zea mays; Hochholdinger et al., 2001) and rice (Oryza sativa; Inukai et al., 2005; Kitomi et al., 2008).Extrapolation from seedling to adult root systems presents major questions (Hochholdinger and Zimmermann, 2008; Chochois et al., 2012; Rich and Watt, 2013). Are phenotypes in seedling roots present in adult roots given developmental events associated with aging? Is expression of phenotypes correlated in seedling and adult roots if time compounds effects of growth rates and growth conditions on roots? Watt et al. (2013) showed in wheat seedlings that root traits in the laboratory and field correlated positively but that neither correlated with adult root traits in the field. Factors between seedling and adult roots seemed to be differences in developmental stage and the time that growing roots experience the environment.Seedling and adult root differences may be larger in grasses than dicotyledons. Grass root systems have two developmental components: seed-borne (seminal) roots, of which a number emerge at germination and continue to grow and branch throughout the plant life, and stem-borne (nodal or adventitious) roots, which emerge from around the three-leaf stage and continue to emerge, grow, and branch throughout the plant life. Phenotypes and traits of adult root systems of grasses, which include the major cereal crops wheat, rice, and maize, are difficult to predict in seedling screens and ideally identified from adult root systems first (Gamuyao et al., 2012).Phenotyping of adult roots is possible in the field using trenches (Maeght et al., 2013) or coring (Wasson et al., 2014). A portion of the root system is captured with these methods. Alternatively, entire adult root systems can be contained within pots dug into the ground before sowing. These need to be large; field wheat roots, for example, can reach depths greater than 1.5 m depending on genotype and environment. This method prevents root-root interactions that occur under normal field sowing of a plant canopy and is also a compromise.A solution to the problem of phenotyping adult cereal root systems is a model for monocotyledon grasses: Brachypodium distachyon. B. distachyon is a small-stature grass with a small genome that is fully sequenced (Vogel et al., 2010). It has molecular tools equivalent to those available in Arabidopsis (Draper et al., 2001; Brkljacic et al., 2011; Mur et al., 2011). The root system of B. distachyon reference line Bd21 is more similar to wheat than other model and crop grasses (Watt et al., 2009). It has a seed-borne primary seminal root (PSR) that emerges from the embryo at seed germination and multiple stem-borne coleoptile node axile roots (CNRs) and leaf node axile roots (LNRs), also known as crown roots or adventitious roots, that emerge at about three leaves through to grain development. Branch roots emerge from all root types. There are no known anatomical differences between root types of wheat and B. distachyon (Watt et al., 2009). In a recent study, we report postflowering root growth in B. distachyon line Bd21-3, showing that this model can be used to answer questions relevant to the adult root systems of grasses (Chochois et al., 2012).In this study, we used B. distachyon to identify adult plant phenotypes related to the partitioning among seed-borne and stem-borne shoots and roots for the genetic improvement of well-watered and droughted cereals (Fig. 1; Krassovsky, 1926; Navara et al., 1994), nitrogen, phosphorus (Tennant, 1976; Brady et al., 1995), oxygen (Wiengweera and Greenway, 2004), soil hardness (Acuna et al., 2007), and microorganisms (Sivasithamparam et al., 1978). Of note is the study by Krassovsky (1926), which was the first, to our knowledge, to show differences in function related to water. Krassovsky (1926) showed that seminal roots of wheat absorbed almost 2 times the water as nodal roots per unit dry weight but that nodal roots absorbed a more diluted nutrient solution than seminal roots. Krassovsky (1926) also showed by removing seminal or nodal roots as they emerged that “seminal roots serve the main stem, while nodal roots serve the tillers” (Krassovsky, 1926). Volkmar (1997) showed, more recently, in wheat that nodal and seminal roots may sense and respond to drought differently. In millet (Pennisetum glaucum) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), Rostamza et al. (2013) found that millet was able to grow nodal roots in a dryer soil than sorghum, possibly because of shoot and root vigor.Open in a separate windowFigure 1.B. distachyon plant scanned at the fourth leaf stage, with the root and shoot phenotypes studied indicated. Supplemental Table S1.

Focus on Metabolism: Posttranslational Protein Modifications in Plant Metabolism

Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of proteins greatly expand proteome diversity, increase functionality, and allow for rapid responses, all at relatively low costs for the cell. PTMs play key roles in plants through their impact on signaling, gene expression, protein stability and interactions, and enzyme kinetics. Following a brief discussion of the experimental and bioinformatics challenges of PTM identification, localization, and quantification (occupancy), a concise overview is provided of the major PTMs and their (potential) functional consequences in plants, with emphasis on plant metabolism. Classic examples that illustrate the regulation of plant metabolic enzymes and pathways by PTMs and their cross talk are summarized. Recent large-scale proteomics studies mapped many PTMs to a wide range of metabolic functions. Unraveling of the PTM code, i.e. a predictive understanding of the (combinatorial) consequences of PTMs, is needed to convert this growing wealth of data into an understanding of plant metabolic regulation.The primary amino acid sequence of proteins is defined by the translated mRNA, often followed by N- or C-terminal cleavages for preprocessing, maturation, and/or activation. Proteins can undergo further reversible or irreversible posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of specific amino acid residues. Proteins are directly responsible for the production of plant metabolites because they act as enzymes or as regulators of enzymes. Ultimately, most proteins in a plant cell can affect plant metabolism (e.g. through effects on plant gene expression, cell fate and development, structural support, transport, etc.). Many metabolic enzymes and their regulators undergo a variety of PTMs, possibly resulting in changes in oligomeric state, stabilization/degradation, and (de)activation (Huber and Hardin, 2004), and PTMs can facilitate the optimization of metabolic flux. However, the direct in vivo consequence of a PTM on a metabolic enzyme or pathway is frequently not very clear, in part because it requires measurements of input and output of the reactions, including flux through the enzyme or pathway. This Update will start out with a short overview on the major PTMs observed for each amino acid residue (PTMs, including determination of the localization within proteins (i.e. the specific residues) and occupancy. Challenges in dealing with multiple PTMs per protein and cross talk between PTMs will be briefly outlined. We then describe the major physiological PTMs observed in plants as well as PTMs that are nonenzymatically induced during sample preparation (PTMs, in particular for enzymes in primary metabolism (Calvin cycle, glycolysis, and respiration) and the C4 shuttle accommodating photosynthesis in C4 plants (PTMs observed in plants

Mouse Models of Osteoarthritis: A Summary of Models and Outcomes Assessment

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multidimensional health problem and a common chronic disease. It has a substantial impact on patient quality of life and is a common cause of pain and mobility issues in older adults. The functional limitations, lack of curative treatments, and cost to society all demonstrate the need for translational and clinical research. The use of OA models in mice is important for achieving a better understanding of the disease. Models with clinical relevance are needed to achieve 2 main goals: to assess the impact of the OA disease (pain and function) and to study the efficacy of potential treatments. However, few OA models include practical strategies for functional assessment of the mice. OA signs in mice incorporate complex interrelations between pain and dysfunction. The current review provides a comprehensive compilation of mouse models of OA and animal evaluations that include static and dynamic clinical assessment of the mice, merging evaluation of pain and function by using automatic and noninvasive techniques. These new techniques allow simultaneous recording of spontaneous activity from thousands of home cages and also monitor environment conditions. Technologies such as videography and computational approaches can also be used to improve pain assessment in rodents but these new tools must first be validated experimentally. An example of a new tool is the digital ventilated cage, which is an automated home-cage monitor that records spontaneous activity in the cages.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multidimensional health problem and a common chronic disease.³⁶ Functional limitations, the absence of curative treatments, and the considerable cost to society result in a substantial impact on quality of life.⁷⁶ Historically, OA has been described as whole joint and whole peri-articular diseases and as a systemic comorbidity.^9,111 OA consists of a disruption of articular joint cartilage homeostasis leading to a catabolic pathway characterized by chondrocyte degeneration and destruction of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Low-grade chronic systemic inflammation is also actively involved in the process.^42,92 In clinical practice, mechanical pain, often accompanied by a functional decline, is the main reason for consultations. Recommendations to patients provide guidance for OA management.^{22, 33,49,86} Evidence-based consensus has led to a variety of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic modalities that are intended to guide health care providers in managing symptomatic patients. Animal-based research is of tremendous importance for the study of early diagnosis and treatment, which are crucial to prevent the disease progression and provide better care to patients.The purpose of animal-based OA research is 2-fold: to assess the impact of the OA disease (pain and function) and to study the efficacy of a potential treatment.^18,67 OA model species include large animals such as the horse, goat, sheep, and dog, whose size and anatomy are expected to better reflect human joint conditions. However, small animals such as guinea pig, rabbit, mouse, and rat represent 77% of the species used.^1,87 In recent years, mice have become the most commonly used model for studying OA. Mice have several advantageous characteristics: a short development and life span, easy and low-cost breeding and maintenance, easy handling, small joints that allow histologic analysis of the whole joint,³² and the availability of genetically modified lines.¹⁰⁸ Standardized housing, genetically defined strains and SPF animals reduce the genetic and interindividual acquired variability. Mice are considered the best vertebrate model in terms of monitoring and controlling environmental conditions.^7,14,15,87 Mouse skeletal maturation is reached at 10 wk, which theoretically constitutes the minimal age at which mice should be entered into an OA study.^64,87,102 However, many studies violate this limit by testing mice at 8 wk of age.Available models for OA include the following (32,111 physical activity and exercise induced OA; noninvasive mechanical loading (repetitive mild loading and single-impact injury); and surgically induced (meniscectomy models or anterior cruciate ligament transection). The specific model used would be based on the goal of the study.⁷ For example, OA pathophysiology, OA progression, and OA therapies studies could use spontaneous, genetic, surgical, or noninvasive models. In addition, pain studies could use chemical models. Lastly, post-traumatic studies would use surgical or noninvasive models; the most frequently used method is currently destabilization of the medial meniscus,³² which involves transection of the medial meniscotibial ligament, thereby destabilizing the joint and causing instability-driven OA. An important caveat for mouse models is that the mouse and human knee differ in terms of joint size, joint biomechanics, and histologic characteristics (layers, cellularity),^32,64 and joint differences could confound clinical translation.¹⁰ Table 1. Mouse models of osteoarthritis.

Immunomodulation by Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Veterinary Species

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are adult-derived multipotent stem cells that have been derived from almost every tissue. They are classically defined as spindle-shaped, plastic-adherent cells capable of adipogenic, chondrogenic, and osteogenic differentiation. This capacity for trilineage differentiation has been the foundation for research into the use of MSC to regenerate damaged tissues. Recent studies have shown that MSC interact with cells of the immune system and modulate their function. Although many of the details underlying the mechanisms by which MSC modulate the immune system have been defined for human and rodent (mouse and rat) MSC, much less is known about MSC from other veterinary species. This knowledge gap is particularly important because the clinical use of MSC in veterinary medicine is increasing and far exceeds the use of MSC in human medicine. It is crucial to determine how MSC modulate the immune system for each animal species as well as for MSC derived from any given tissue source. A comparative approach provides a unique translational opportunity to bring novel cell-based therapies to the veterinary market as well as enhance the utility of animal models for human disorders. The current review covers what is currently known about MSC and their immunomodulatory functions in veterinary species, excluding laboratory rodents.Abbreviations: AT, adipose tissue; BM, Bone marrow; CB, umbilical cord blood; CT, umbilical cord tissue; DC, dendritic cell; IDO, indoleamine 2;3-dioxygenase; MSC, mesenchymal stem cells; PGE₂, prostaglandin E2; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factorMesenchymal stem cells (MSC, alternatively known as mesenchymal stromal cells) were first reported in the literature in 1968.³⁹ MSC are thought to be of pericyte origin (cells that line the vasculature)^21,22 and typically are isolated from highly vascular tissues. In humans and mice, MSC have been isolated from fat, placental tissues (placenta, Wharton jelly, umbilical cord, umbilical cord blood), hair follicles, tendon, synovial membrane, periodontal ligament, and every major organ (brain, spleen, liver, kidney, lung, bone marrow, muscle, thymus, pancreas, skin).^23,121 For most current clinical applications, MSC are isolated from adipose tissue (AT), bone marrow (BM), umbilical cord blood (CB), and umbilical cord tissue (CT; 11,87,99 Clinical trials in human medicine focus on the use of MSC both for their antiinflammatory properties (graft-versus-host disease, irritable bowel syndrome) and their ability to aid in tissue and bone regeneration in combination with growth factors and bone scaffolds (clinicaltrials.gov).¹³¹ For tissue regeneration, the abilities of MSC to differentiate and to secrete mediators and interact with cells of the immune system likely contribute to tissue healing (Figure 1). The current review will not address the specific use of MSC for orthopedic applications and tissue regeneration, although the topic is covered widely in current literature for both human and veterinary medicine.^57,62,90

Table 1.

Tissues from which MSC have been isolated

Natural Infection of Burkholderia pseudomallei in an Imported Pigtail Macaque (Macaca nemestrina) and Management of the Exposed Colony

Identification of the select agent Burkholderia pseudomallei in macaques imported into the United States is rare. A purpose-bred, 4.5-y-old pigtail macaque (Macaca nemestrina) imported from Southeast Asia was received from a commercial vendor at our facility in March 2012. After the initial acclimation period of 5 to 7 d, physical examination of the macaque revealed a subcutaneous abscess that surrounded the right stifle joint. The wound was treated and resolved over 3 mo. In August 2012, 2 mo after the stifle joint wound resolved, the macaque exhibited neurologic clinical signs. Postmortem microbiologic analysis revealed that the macaque was infected with B. pseudomallei. This case report describes the clinical evaluation of a B. pseudomallei-infected macaque, management and care of the potentially exposed colony of animals, and protocols established for the animal care staff that worked with the infected macaque and potentially exposed colony. This article also provides relevant information on addressing matters related to regulatory issues and risk management of potentially exposed animals and animal care staff.Abbreviations: CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; IHA, indirect hemagglutination assay; PEP, postexposure prophylacticBurkholderia pseudomallei, formerly known as Pseudomonas pseudomallei, is a gram-negative, aerobic, bipolar, motile, rod-shaped bacterium. B. pseudomallei infections (melioidosis) can be severe and even fatal in both humans and animals. This environmental saprophyte is endemic to Southeast Asia and northern Australia, but it has also been found in other tropical and subtropical areas of the world.^7,22,32,42 The bacterium is usually found in soil and water in endemic areas and is transmitted to humans and animals primarily through percutaneous inoculation, ingestion, or inhalation of a contaminated source.^{8, 22,28,32,42} Human-to-human, animal-to-animal, and animal-to-human spread are rare.^8,32 In December 2012, the National Select Agent Registry designated B. pseudomallei as a Tier 1 overlap select agent.³⁹ Organisms classified as Tier 1 agents present the highest risk of deliberate misuse, with the most significant potential for mass casualties or devastating effects to the economy, critical infrastructure, or public confidence. Select agents with this status have the potential to pose a severe threat to human and animal health or safety or the ability to be used as a biologic weapon.³⁹Melioidosis in humans can be challenging to diagnose and treat because the organism can remain latent for years and is resistant to many antibiotics.^12,37,41 B. pseudomallei can survive in phagocytic cells, a phenomenon that may be associated with latent infections.^19,38 The incubation period in naturally infected animals ranges from 1 d to many years, but symptoms typically appear 2 to 4 wk after exposure.^13,17,35,38 Disease generally presents in 1 of 2 forms: localized infection or septicemia.²² Multiple methods are used to diagnose melioidosis, including immunofluorescence, serology, and PCR analysis, but isolation of the bacteria from blood, urine, sputum, throat swabs, abscesses, skin, or tissue lesions remains the ‘gold standard.’^9,22,40,42 The prognosis varies based on presentation, time to diagnosis, initiation of appropriate antimicrobial treatment, and underlying comorbidities.^7,28,42 Currently, there is no licensed vaccine to prevent melioidosis.There are several published reports of naturally occurring melioidosis in a variety of nonhuman primates (NHP; 2,10,13,17,25,30,31,35 The first reported case of melioidosis in monkeys was recorded in 1932, and the first published case in a macaque species was in 1966.³⁰ In the United States, there have only been 7 documented cases of NHP with B. pseudomallei infection.^2,13,17 All of these cases occurred prior to the classification of B. pseudomallei as a select agent. Clinical signs in NHP range from subclinical or subacute illness to acute septicemia, localized infection, and chronic infection. NHP with melioidosis can be asymptomatic or exhibit clinical signs such as anorexia, wasting, purulent drainage, subcutaneous abscesses, and other soft tissue lesions. Lymphadenitis, lameness, osteomyelitis, paralysis and other CNS signs have also been reported.^{2,7,10,22,28,32} In comparison, human''s clinical signs range from abscesses, skin ulceration, fever, headache, joint pain, and muscle tenderness to abdominal pain, anorexia, respiratory distress, seizures, and septicemia.^7,9,21,22

Table 1.

Summary of reported cases of naturally occurring Burkholderia pseudomalleiinfections in nonhuman primates

Coordination of Leaf Photosynthesis,Transpiration, and Structural Traits in Rice and Wild Relatives (Genus Oryza)

The genus Oryza, which includes rice (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) and wild relatives, is a useful genus to study leaf properties in order to identify structural features that control CO₂ access to chloroplasts, photosynthesis, water use efficiency, and drought tolerance. Traits, 26 structural and 17 functional, associated with photosynthesis and transpiration were quantified on 24 accessions (representatives of 17 species and eight genomes). Hypotheses of associations within, and between, structure, photosynthesis, and transpiration were tested. Two main clusters of positively interrelated leaf traits were identified: in the first cluster were structural features, leaf thickness (Thick_leaf), mesophyll (M) cell surface area exposed to intercellular air space per unit of leaf surface area (S_mes), and M cell size; a second group included functional traits, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, M conductance to CO₂ diffusion (g_m), stomatal conductance to gas diffusion (g_s), and the g_m/g_s ratio. While net photosynthetic rate was positively correlated with g_m, neither was significantly linked with any individual structural traits. The results suggest that changes in g_m depend on covariations of multiple leaf (S_mes) and M cell (including cell wall thickness) structural traits. There was an inverse relationship between Thick_leaf and transpiration rate and a significant positive association between Thick_leaf and leaf transpiration efficiency. Interestingly, high g_m together with high g_m/g_s and a low S_mes/g_m ratio (M resistance to CO₂ diffusion per unit of cell surface area exposed to intercellular air space) appear to be ideal for supporting leaf photosynthesis while preserving water; in addition, thick M cell walls may be beneficial for plant drought tolerance.Leaves have evolved in different environments into a multitude of sizes and shapes, showing great variation in morphology and anatomy (Evans et al., 2004). However, all leaf typologies share common functions associated with chloroplasts, namely to intercept sunlight, take up CO₂ and inorganic nitrogen, and perform photosynthesis as a primary process for growth and reproduction.Investigating relationships between leaf anatomy and photosynthetic features (CO₂ fixation, which involves physical and biochemical processes and loss of water by transpiration) could lead to the identification of structural features for enhancing crop productivity and improve our understanding of plant evolution and adaptation (Evans et al., 2004).Stomata, through which CO₂ and water vapor diffuse into and out of the leaf, are involved in the regulation and control of photosynthetic and transpiration responses (Jarvis and Morison, 1981; Farquhar and Sharkey, 1982). Besides stomata distribution patterns between the abaxial and adaxial lamina surfaces (Foster and Smith, 1986), stomatal density and size are leaf anatomical traits contributing to build the leaf stomatal conductance to gas diffusion (g_s). This is calculated as the reciprocal of the stomatal resistances to gas diffusion; stomatal control results in a lower concentration of CO₂ in the leaf mesophyll (M) intercellular air space (C_i) than in the atmosphere (C_a; Nobel, 2009).Leaf M architecture greatly contributes to the pattern of light attenuation profiles within the lamina (Terashima and Saeki, 1983; Woolley, 1983; Vogelmann et al., 1989; Evans, 1999; Terashima et al., 2011) and affects CO₂ diffusion from the intercellular air space (IAS) to the chloroplast stroma. Therefore, it influences photosynthetic activity (Flexas et al., 2007, 2008) and can have effects on leaf hydrology and transpiration (Sack et al., 2003; Brodribb et al., 2010; Ocheltree et al., 2012). In addition, M architecture sets boundaries for leaf photosynthetic responses to changing environmental conditions (Nobel et al., 1975).Fortunately, several methodologies are currently available (Flexas et al., 2008; Pons et al., 2009) to determine M conductance to CO₂ diffusion (g_m), expressed per unit of leaf surface area. It is calculated as the reciprocal of the cumulated partial resistances exerted by leaf structural traits and biochemical processes from the substomatal cavities to photosynthetic sites (Evans et al., 2009; Nobel, 2009). The resistance to CO₂ diffusion in the liquid phase is 4 orders of magnitude higher than in the gaseous phase (Nobel, 2009); therefore, the changes in CO₂ concentration in the leaf gas phase are small in comparison with the changes in the liquid phase (Niinemets, 1999; Aalto and Juurola, 2002; Nobel, 2009). In the liquid phase, the resistance to CO₂ transfer is built from contributions by the cell walls, the plasmalemma, cytoplasm, chloroplast membranes, and stroma (Tholen and Zhu, 2011; Tholen et al., 2012); in addition, it involves factors associated with the carboxylation reaction (Kiirats et al., 2002; Evans et al., 2009). Thus, the concentration of CO₂ in the chloroplasts (C_c) is lower than C_i and can limit photosynthesis.At steady state, the relationships between the leaf net photosynthetic rate (A), the concentrations of CO₂, and the stomatal conductance to CO₂ diffusion (g_{s_CO2}) and g_m are modeled based on Fick’s first law of diffusion (Nobel, 2009) as:(1)where C_a, C_i, and C_c are as defined above (Flexas et al., 2008).The magnitude of g_m has been found to correlate with certain leaf structural traits in some species, in particular with the M cell surface area exposed to IAS per (one side) unit of leaf surface area (S_mes) and its extent covered by chloroplasts (S_chl; Evans and Loreto, 2000; Slaton and Smith, 2002; Tholen et al., 2012). From a physical modeling perspective, increasing S_mes provides more pathways acting in parallel for CO₂ diffusion (to and from the chloroplasts) per unit of leaf surface area; thus, it tends to reduce the resistance to CO₂ movement into the M cells and to increase g_m (Evans et al., 2009; Nobel, 2009). A number of leaf structural traits affect S_mes, including leaf thickness, cell density, cell volume and shape, and the fraction of the M cell walls in contact with the IAS (Terashima et al., 2001, 2011), and the degree they are linked to S_mes can vary between species (Slaton and Smith, 2002; Terashima et al., 2006). In particular, the presence of lobes on M cells, which are prominent in some Oryza species, may contribute to g_m through increasing S_mes (Sage and Sage, 2009; Terashima et al., 2011; Tosens et al., 2012). The M cell wall can provide resistance in series for M CO₂ diffusion (Nobel, 2009); thicker cell walls may increase resistance to CO₂ movement into the M cells and decrease g_m (Terashima et al., 2006, 2011; Evans et al., 2009).Other leaf traits, such as M porosity (the fraction of M volume occupied by air spaces [Vol_IAS]), has been shown to have a positive correlation with g_m in some species (Peña-Rojas et al., 2005), but the association may be mediated by light availability (Slaton and Smith, 2002). Leaf thickness (Thick_leaf) tends to be negatively linked to g_m, and it may set an upper limit for the maximum g_m, according to Terashima et al. (2006), Flexas et al. (2008), and Niinemets et al. (2009).With respect to leaf structural traits and water relations, Thick_leaf may increase the apoplast path length (resistances in series; Nobel, 2009) in the extra-xylem M (Sack and Holbrook, 2006; Brodribb et al., 2007) for water to reach the evaporation sites, which could decrease the conductance of water through the M and lower the transpiration rate. Interestingly, while thicker M cell walls may reduce g_m, they can enable the development of higher water potential gradients between the soil and leaves, which can be decisive for plant survival and longevity under drought conditions (Steppe et al., 2011).The purpose of this study was to provide insight into how the diversity of leaf structure relates to photosynthesis and transpiration among representative cultivated species and wild relatives in the genus Oryza. This includes, in particular, identifying leaf structural features associated with the diffusion of CO₂ from the atmosphere to the chloroplasts, photosynthesis, transpiration efficiency (A/E), and drought tolerance. The genus consists of 10 genomic groups and is composed of approximately 24 species (the number depending on taxonomic preferences; Kellogg, 2009; Brar and Singh, 2011), including the cultivated species Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima. Oryza species are distributed around the world, and they exhibit a wide range of phenotypes, with annual versus perennial life cycles and sun- versus shade-adapted species (Vaughan, 1994; Vaughan et al., 2008; Brar and Singh, 2011; Jagadish et al., 2011). This diversity in the genus is an important resource, which is being studied to improve rice yield, especially under unfavorable environmental conditions. In particular, O. glaberrima, Oryza australiensis, and Oryza meridionalis are of interest as drought-tolerant species (Henry et al., 2010; Ndjiondjop et al., 2010; Scafaro et al., 2011, 2012), while Oryza coarctata is salt tolerant (Sengupta and Majumder, 2010). In this study, a total of 43 leaf functional and structural parameters were collected on 24 accessions corresponding to 17 species within eight genomes (Brar and Singh (2011). Life cycle is as follows: A = annual; B = biennial; P = poliennial. Habitat is as follows: S = shade; S-Sh = sun-shade.

Evolution and Function of the Plant Cell Wall Synthesis-Related Glycosyltransferase Family 8

Carbohydrate-active enzyme glycosyltransferase family 8 (GT8) includes the plant galacturonosyltransferase1-related gene family of proven and putative α-galacturonosyltransferase (GAUT) and GAUT-like (GATL) genes. We computationally identified and investigated this family in 15 fully sequenced plant and green algal genomes and in the National Center for Biotechnology Information nonredundant protein database to determine the phylogenetic relatedness of the GAUTs and GATLs to other GT8 family members. The GT8 proteins fall into three well-delineated major classes. In addition to GAUTs and GATLs, known or predicted to be involved in plant cell wall biosynthesis, class I also includes a lower plant-specific GAUT and GATL-related (GATR) subfamily, two metazoan subfamilies, and proteins from other eukaryotes and cyanobacteria. Class II includes galactinol synthases and plant glycogenin-like starch initiation proteins that are not known to be directly involved in cell wall synthesis, as well as proteins from fungi, metazoans, viruses, and bacteria. Class III consists almost entirely of bacterial proteins that are lipooligo/polysaccharide α-galactosyltransferases and α-glucosyltransferases. Sequence motifs conserved across all GT8 subfamilies and those specific to plant cell wall-related GT8 subfamilies were identified and mapped onto a predicted GAUT1 protein structure. The tertiary structure prediction identified sequence motifs likely to represent key amino acids involved in catalysis, substrate binding, protein-protein interactions, and structural elements required for GAUT1 function. The results show that the GAUTs, GATLs, and GATRs have a different evolutionary origin than other plant GT8 genes, were likely acquired from an ancient cyanobacterium (Synechococcus) progenitor, and separate into unique subclades that may indicate functional specialization.Plant cell walls are composed of three principal types of polysaccharides: cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin. Studying the biosynthesis and degradation of these biopolymers is important because cell walls have multiple roles in plants, including providing structural support to cells and defense against pathogens, serving as cell-specific developmental and differentiation markers, and mediating or facilitating cell-cell communication. In addition to their important roles within plants, cell walls also have many economic uses in human and animal nutrition and as sources of natural textile fibers, paper and wood products, and components of fine chemicals and medicinal products. The study of the biosynthesis and biodegradation of plant cell walls has become even more significant because cell walls are the major components of biomass (Mohnen et al., 2008), which is the most promising renewable source for the production of biofuels and biomaterials (Ragauskas et al., 2006; Pauly and Keegstra, 2008). Analyses of fully sequenced plant genomes have revealed that they encode hundreds or even thousands of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZy; Henrissat et al., 2001; Yokoyama and Nishitani, 2004; Geisler-Lee et al., 2006). Most of these CAZy enzymes (Cantarel et al., 2009) are glycosyltransferases (GTs) or glycoside hydrolases, which are key players in plant cell wall biosynthesis and modification (Cosgrove, 2005).The CAZy database is classified into 290 protein families (www.cazy.org; release of September 2008), of which 92 are GT families (Cantarel et al., 2009). A number of the GT families have been previously characterized to be involved in plant cell wall biosynthesis. For example, the GT2 family is known to include cellulose synthases and some hemicellulose backbone synthases (Lerouxel et al., 2006), such as mannan synthases (Dhugga et al., 2004; Liepman et al., 2005), putative xyloglucan synthases (Cocuron et al., 2007), and mixed linkage glucan synthases (Burton et al., 2006). With respect to the synthesis of xylan, a type of hemicellulose, four Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) proteins from the GT43 family, irregular xylem 9 (IRX9), IRX14, IRX9-L, and IRX14-L, and two proteins from the GT47 family, IRX10 and IRX10-L, are candidates (York and O''Neill, 2008) for glucuronoxylan backbone synthases (Brown et al., 2007, 2009; Lee et al., 2007a; Peña et al., 2007; Wu et al., 2009). In addition, three proteins have been implicated in the synthesis of an oligosaccharide thought to act either as a primer or terminator in xylan synthesis (Peña et al., 2007): two from the GT8 family (IRX8/GAUT12 [Persson et al., 2007] and PARVUS/GATL1 [Brown et al., 2007; Lee et al., 2007b]) and one from the GT47 family (FRA8/IRX7 [Zhong et al., 2005]).The GT families involved in the biosynthesis of pectins have been relatively less studied until recently. In 2006, a gene in CAZy family GT8 was shown to encode a functional homogalacturonan α-galacturonosyltransferase, GAUT1 (Sterling et al., 2006). GAUT1 belongs to a 25-member gene family in Arabidopsis, the GAUT1-related gene family, that includes two distinct but closely related families, the galacturonosyltransferase (GAUT) genes and the galacturonosyltransferase-like (GATL) genes (Sterling et al., 2006). Another GAUT gene, GAUT8/QUA1, has been suggested to be involved in pectin and/or xylan synthesis, based on the phenotypes of plant lines carrying mutations in this gene (Bouton et al., 2002; Orfila et al., 2005). It has further been suggested that multiple members of the GT8 family are galacturonosyltransferases involved in pectin and/or xylan biosynthesis (Mohnen, 2008; Caffall and Mohnen, 2009; Caffall et al., 2009).Aside from the 25 GAUT and GATL genes, Arabidopsis has 16 other family GT8 genes, according to the CAZy database, which do not seem to have the conserved sequence motifs found in GAUTs and GATLs: HxxGxxKPW and GLG (Sterling et al., 2006). Eight of these 16 genes are annotated as galactinol synthase (GolS) by The Arabidopsis Information Resource (TAIR; www.arabidopsis.org), and three of these AtGolS enzymes have been implicated in the synthesis of raffinose family oligosaccharides that are associated with stress tolerance (Taji et al., 2002). The other eight Arabidopsis GT8 genes are annotated as plant glycogenin-like starch initiation proteins (PGSIPs) in TAIR. PGSIPs have been proposed to be involved in the synthesis of primers necessary for starch biosynthesis (Chatterjee et al., 2005). Hence, the GT8 family is a protein family consisting of enzymes with very distinct proven and proposed functions. Indeed, a suggestion has been made to split the GT8 family into two groups (Sterling et al., 2006), namely, the cell wall biosynthesis-related genes (GAUTs and GATLs) and the non-cell wall synthesis-related genes (GolSs and PGSIPs).We are interested in further defining the functions of the GAUT and GATL proteins in plants, in particular their role(s) in plant cell wall synthesis. The apparent disparate functions of the GT8 family (i.e. the GAUTs and GATLs as proven and putative plant cell wall polysaccharide biosynthetic α-galacturonosyltransferases, the eukaryotic GolSs as α-galactosyltransferases that synthesize the first step in the synthesis of the oligosaccharides stachyose and raffinose, the putative PGSIPs, and the large bacterial GT8 family of diverse α-glucosyltransferases and α-galactosyltransferases involved in lipopolysaccharide and lipooligosaccharide synthesis) indicate that the GT8 family members are involved in several unique types of glycoconjugate and glycan biosynthetic processes (Yin et al., 2010). This observation led us to ask whether any of the GT8 family members are sufficiently closely related to GAUT and GATL genes to be informative regarding GAUT or GATL biosynthetic function(s) and/or mechanism(s).To investigate the relatedness of the members of the GT8 gene family, we carried out a detailed phylogenetic analysis of the entire GT8 family in 15 completely sequenced plant and green algal genomes (AbbreviationCladeSpeciesGenome PublishedDownloaded frommpcGreen algaeMicromonas pusilla CCMP1545Worden et al. (2009)JGI version 2.0mprGreen algaeMicromonas strain RCC299Worden et al. (2009)JGI version 2.0olGreen algaeOstreococcus lucimarinusPalenik et al. (2007)JGI version 1.0otGreen algaeOstreococcus tauriDerelle et al. (2006)JGI version 1.0crGreen algaeChlamydomonas reinhardtiiMerchant et al. (2007)JGI version 3.0vcGreen algaeVolvox carteri f. nagariensisNoJGI version 1.0ppMossPhyscomitrella patens ssp. patensRensing et al. (2008)JGI version 1.1smSpike mossSelaginella moellendorffiiNoJGI version 1.0ptDicotPopulus trichocarpaTuskan et al. (2006)JGI version 1.1atDicotArabidopsis thalianaArabidopsis Genome Initiative (2000)TAIR version 9.0vvDicotVitis viniferaJaillon et al. (2007)http://www.genoscope.cns.fr/gmDicotGlycine maxSchmutz et al. (2010)JGI version 1.0osMonocotOryza sativaGoff et al. (2002); Yu et al. (2002)TIGR version 6.1sbMonocotSorghum bicolorPaterson et al. (2009)JGI version 1.0bdMonocotBrachypodium distachyonVogel et al. (2010)JGI version 1.0Open in a separate window     

Adaptive Divergence in Experimental Populations of Pseudomonas fluorescens. IV. Genetic Constraints Guide Evolutionary Trajectories in a Parallel Adaptive Radiation

The capacity for phenotypic evolution is dependent upon complex webs of functional interactions that connect genotype and phenotype. Wrinkly spreader (WS) genotypes arise repeatedly during the course of a model Pseudomonas adaptive radiation. Previous work showed that the evolution of WS variation was explained in part by spontaneous mutations in wspF, a component of the Wsp-signaling module, but also drew attention to the existence of unknown mutational causes. Here, we identify two new mutational pathways (Aws and Mws) that allow realization of the WS phenotype: in common with the Wsp module these pathways contain a di-guanylate cyclase-encoding gene subject to negative regulation. Together, mutations in the Wsp, Aws, and Mws regulatory modules account for the spectrum of WS phenotype-generating mutations found among a collection of 26 spontaneously arising WS genotypes obtained from independent adaptive radiations. Despite a large number of potential mutational pathways, the repeated discovery of mutations in a small number of loci (parallel evolution) prompted the construction of an ancestral genotype devoid of known (Wsp, Aws, and Mws) regulatory modules to see whether the types derived from this genotype could converge upon the WS phenotype via a novel route. Such types—with equivalent fitness effects—did emerge, although they took significantly longer to do so. Together our data provide an explanation for why WS evolution follows a limited number of mutational pathways and show how genetic architecture can bias the molecular variation presented to selection.UNDERSTANDING—and importantly, predicting—phenotypic evolution requires knowledge of the factors that affect the translation of mutation into phenotypic variation—the raw material of adaptive evolution. While much is known about mutation rate (e.g., Drake et al. 1998; Hudson et al. 2002), knowledge of the processes affecting the translation of DNA sequence variation into phenotypic variation is minimal.Advances in knowledge on at least two fronts suggest that progress in understanding the rules governing the generation of phenotypic variation is possible (Stern and Orgogozo 2009). The first stems from increased awareness of the genetic architecture underlying specific adaptive phenotypes and recognition of the fact that the capacity for evolutionary change is likely to be constrained by this architecture (Schlichting and Murren 2004; Hansen 2006). The second is the growing number of reports of parallel evolution (e.g., Pigeon et al. 1997; ffrench-Constant et al. 1998; Allender et al. 2003; Colosimo et al. 2004; Zhong et al. 2004; Boughman et al. 2005; Shindo et al. 2005; Kronforst et al. 2006; Woods et al. 2006; Zhang 2006; Bantinaki et al. 2007; McGregor et al. 2007; Ostrowski et al. 2008)—that is, the independent evolution of similar or identical features in two or more lineages—which suggests the possibility that evolution may follow a limited number of pathways (Schluter 1996). Indeed, giving substance to this idea are studies that show that mutations underlying parallel phenotypic evolution are nonrandomly distributed and typically clustered in homologous genes (Stern and Orgogozo 2008).While the nonrandom distribution of mutations during parallel genetic evolution may reflect constraints due to genetic architecture, some have argued that the primary cause is strong selection (e.g., Wichman et al. 1999; Woods et al. 2006). A means of disentangling the roles of population processes (selection) from genetic architecture is necessary for progress (Maynard Smith et al. 1985; Brakefield 2006); also necessary is insight into precisely how genetic architecture might bias the production of mutations presented to selection.Despite their relative simplicity, microbial populations offer opportunities to advance knowledge. The wrinkly spreader (WS) morphotype is one of many different niche specialist genotypes that emerge when experimental populations of Pseudomonas fluorescens are propagated in spatially structured microcosms (Rainey and Travisano 1998). Previous studies defined, via gene inactivation, the essential phenotypic and genetic traits that define a single WS genotype known as LSWS (Spiers et al. 2002, 2003) (Figure 1). LSWS differs from the ancestral SM genotype by a single nonsynonymous nucleotide change in wspF. Functionally (see Figure 2), WspF is a methyl esterase and negative regulator of the WspR di-guanylate cyclase (DGC) (Goymer et al. 2006) that is responsible for the biosynthesis of c-di-GMP (Malone et al. 2007), the allosteric activator of cellulose synthesis enzymes (Ross et al. 1987). The net effect of the wspF mutation is to promote physiological changes that lead to the formation of a microbial mat at the air–liquid interface of static broth microcosms (Rainey and Rainey 2003).Open in a separate windowFigure 1.—Outline of experimental strategy for elucidation of WS-generating mutations and their subsequent identity and distribution among a collection of independently evolved, spontaneously arising WS genotypes. The strategy involves, first, the genetic analysis of a specific WS genotype (e.g., LSWS) to identify the causal mutation, and second, a survey of DNA sequence variation at specific loci known to harbor causal mutations among a collection of spontaneously arising WS genotypes. For example, suppressor analysis of LSWS using a transposon to inactivate genes necessary for expression of the wrinkly morphology delivered a large number of candidate genes (top left) (Spiers et al. 2002). Genetic and functional analysis of these candidate genes (e.g., Goymer et al. 2006) led eventually to the identity of the spontaneous mutation (in wspF) responsible for the evolution of LSWS from the ancestral SM genotype (Bantinaki et al. 2007). Subsequent analysis of the wspF sequence among 26 independent WS genotypes (bottom) showed that 50% harbored spontaneous mutations (of different kinds; see Open in a separate windowFigure 2.—Network diagram of DGC-encoding pathways underpinning the evolution of the WS phenotype and their regulation. Overproduction of c-di-GMP results in overproduction of cellulose and other adhesive factors that determine the WS phenotype. The ancestral SBW25 genome contains 39 putative DGCs, each in principle capable of synthesizing the production of c-di-GMP, and yet WS genotypes arise most commonly as a consequence of mutations in just three DGC-containing pathways: Wsp, Aws, and Mws. In each instance, the causal mutations are most commonly in the negative regulatory component: wspF, awsX, and the phosphodiesterase domain of mwsR (see text).To determine whether spontaneous mutations in wspF are a common cause of the WS phenotype, the nucleotide sequence of this gene was obtained from a collection of 26 spontaneously arising WS genotypes (WS_A-Z) taken from 26 independent adaptive radiations, each founded by the same ancestral SM genotype (Figure 1): 13 contained mutations in wspF (Bantinaki et al. 2007). The existence of additional mutational pathways to WS provided the initial motivation for this study.

TABLE 1

Mutational causes of WS