0000000000015262
AUTHOR
Alexander Skorokhod
Contribution of sponge genes to unravel the genome of the hypothetical ancestor of Metazoa (Urmetazoa)
Recently the term Urmetazoa, as the hypothetical metazoan ancestor, was introduced to highlight the finding that all metazoan phyla including the Porifera (sponges) are derived from one common ancestor. Sponges as the evolutionarily oldest, still extant phylum, are provided with a complex network of structural and functional molecules. Analyses of sponge genomes from Demospongiae (Suberites domuncula and Geodia cydonium), Calcarea (Sycon raphanus) and Hexactinellida (Aphrocallistes vastus) have contributed also to the reconstruction of the evolutionary position of Metazoa with respect to Fungi. Furthermore, these analyses have provided evidence that the characteristic evolutionary novelties…
Multiple Ig-like featuring genes divergent within and among individuals of the marine sponge Geodia cydonium.
Abstract The receptor tyrosine kinase of the marine sponge Geodia cydonium features two extracellular Ig-like domains in which we recently documented RT-PCR polymorphism among individuals. Genomic-PCR analysis presented here revealed 14 unique sequences from four sponges, differing predominantly in the sequence of an intron which splits the Ig-like domains. Nevertheless, analysis of putative coding regions in 19 distinct clones (156–159 aa) from seven sponges revealed 69 positions of nucleotide substitutions, 67.6% of them non-synonymous, translating into 43 positions of divergent residues. Excluding aa deletions, these 19 sequences share pairwise aa identities of 89–99%. In three sponges, …
Molecular evolution of the metazoan extracellular matrix: cloning and expression of structural proteins from the demosponges Suberites domuncula and Geodia cydonium.
One crucial event during evolution to multicellularity was the development of either direct cell–cell contact or indirect interaction via extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules. The identification of those polypeptides provides conclusive data on the phylogenetic relationship of metazoan phyla and helps us to understand the position of the Metazoa among the other kingdoms. Recently it became evident that the ECM of sponges is amazingly complex; it is composed of fibrous molecules, e.g., collagen, and their corresponding receptors, which are highly similar to those existing in other metazoan phyla. While these data already support the view of monophyly of Metazoa, additional studies are requir…
Histocompatibility reaction in tissue and cells of the marine sponge Suberites domuncula in vitro and in vivo: central role of the allograft inflammatory factor 1
Sponges (Porifera) are the phylogenetically oldest still extant metazoan phylum. Recently elements of their immune system have been cloned and analyzed, primarily from the demosponges Suberites domuncula and Geodia cydonium. By differential display, two genes were identified in S. domuncula, whose translation products are involved in graft rejection/fusion: the allograft inflammatory factor (AIF-1) and the Tcf-like transcription factor (TCF). Since the AIF-1 and TCF genes are upregulated in vivo after tissue transplantation, especially in allografts, we investigated whether this reaction can be monitored in vitro. Therefore, the autogeneic and the allogeneic mixed sponge cell reaction (MSCR…
Receptor Tyrosine Kinase, an Autapomorphic Character of Metazoa: Identification in Marine Sponges
In the present review we summarize sequence data obtained from cloning of sponge receptor tyrosine kinases [RTK]. The cDNA sequences were mainly obtained from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium. RTKs (i) with immunoglobulin [Ig]-like domains in the extracellular region, (ii) of the type of insulinlike receptors, as well as (iii) RTKs with one extracellular speract domain, have been identified. The analyses revealed that the RTK genes are constructed in blocks [domains], suggesting a blockwise evolution. The phylogenetic relationships of the sequences obtained revealed that all sponge sequences fall into one branch of the evolutionary tree, while related sequences from higher Metazoa, human, …
Approaches for a Sustainable Use of the Bioactive Potential in Sponges: Analysis of Gene Clusters, Differential Display of mRNA and DNA Chips
In recent years, analyses of the genome organization of marine sponges have begun that have led to the elucidation of selected genes and gene arrangements that exist in gene clusters (e.g. the receptor tyrosine kinase cluster and the allograft inflammatory factor cluster). Most of these studies were performed with the demosponge Suberites domuncula; but Geodia cydonium (Demospongiae), Aphrocallistes vastus (Hexactinellida) and Sycon raphanus (Calcarea) were also investigated. Both S. domuncula and G. cydonium possess a surprisingly large genome of approximately 1.7 pg DNA per haploid set. Taking the high gene density in these sponges into account and considering that predominantly single-co…
Gene structure and function of tyrosine kinases in the marine sponge Geodia cydonium: Autapomorphic characters of Metazoa
Abstract Porifera (sponges) represent the most ancient, extant metazoan phylum. They existed already prior to the ‘Cambrian Explosion’. Based on the analysis of aa sequences of informative proteins, it is highly likely that all metazoan phyla evolved from only one common ancestor (monophyletic origin). As ‘autapomorphic’ proteins which are restricted to Metazoa only, integrin receptors, receptors with scavenger receptor cysteine-rich repeats, neuronal-like receptors and protein–tyrosine kinases (PTKs) have been identified in Porifera. From the marine sponge Geodia cydonium , a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) has been cloned that comprises the characteristic structural topology known from oth…
Functional Molecular Biodiversity: Assessing the Immune Status of Two Sponge Populations (Suberites domuncula) on the Molecular Level
. Porifera (sponges) are sessile filter feeders living primarily in the marine environment. In this study the population diversity of one species, the demosponge Suberites domuncula, has been investigated in an isolated area, the Limski Canal (LC) near Rovinj (Croatia; Mediterranean Sea), in comparison to that in the open sea (OS), only 10–20 km apart from the LC. The immune competence of the S. domuncula specimens was studied in response to exposure to the bacterial endotoxin LPS. The level of phosphorylation of the p38 kinase from specimens collected in LC is significantly lower than that of OS animals. To confirm the biochemical data on the molecular level, the technique of identificati…
Opening a Niche for Therapy: Local Lymphodepletion Helps the Immune System to Fight Melanoma
In this issue, Fujiwara et al. report that local ablation of CD4+ T cells in a murine B16 melanoma model, together with concomitant activation of the immune system by OX40L, leads to complete rejection of the melanomas. Rejection was driven mainly by CD8+ T cells, which infiltrated the melanomas and secreted sizeable amounts of IFN-γ. However, CD8+ T-cell infiltration also caused the recruitment of immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Although these cells did not prevent the rejection of the melanomas, in clinical settings the long-term repopulation of tumors by MDSCs may counteract successful treatment. Thus, local ablation of CD4+ leukocytes may improve anti-melanom…
Experimental indication in favor of the introns-late theory: the receptor tyrosine kinase gene from the sponge Geodia cydonium.
Abstract We have analyzed the gene that encodes receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) from the marine sponge Geodia cydonium, which belongs to the most ancient and simple metazoan groups, the Porifera. RTKs are enzymes found only in metazoa. The sponge gene contains two introns in the extracellular part of the protein. However, the rest of the protein (transmembrane and intracellular part), including the tyrosine kinase (TK)-domain, is encoded by a single exon. In contrast, all TK genes, so far known only from higher animals (vertebrates), contain several introns especially in the TK-domain. The TK-domain of G. cydonium shows similarity with numerous members of receptor as well as nonreceptor TKs.…
Stimulation of protein (collagen) synthesis in sponge cells by a cardiac myotrophin‐related molecule from Suberites domuncula
The body wall of sponges (Porifera), the lowest metazoan phylum, is formed by two epithelial cell layers of exopinacocytes and endopinacocytes, both of which are associated with collagen fibrils. Here we show that a myotrophin-like polypeptide from the sponge Suberites domuncula causes the expression of collagen in cells from the same sponge in vitro. The cDNA of the sponge myotrophin was isolated; the potential open reading frame of 360 nt encodes a 120 aa long protein (Mr of 12,837). The sequence SUBDOMYOL shares high similarity with the known metazoan myotrophin sequences. The expression of SUBDOMYOL is low in single cells but high after formation of primmorph aggregates as well as in in…
Origin of Insulin Receptor-Like Tyrosine Kinases in Marine Sponges
One autapomorphic character restricted to all Metazoa including Porifera [sponges] is the existence of transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). In this study we screened for molecules from one subfamily within the superfamily of the insulin receptors. The subfamily includes the insulin receptors (InsR), the insulin-like growth factor I receptors, and the InsR-related receptors--all found in vertebrates--as well as the InsR-homolog from Drosophila melanogaster. cDNAs encoding putative InsRs were isolated from the hexactinellid sponge Aphrocallistes vastus, the demosponge Suberites domuncula, and the calcareous sponge Sycon raphanus. Phylogenetic analyses of the catalytic domains of th…
Conservation of the positions of metazoan introns from sponges to humans
Abstract Sponges (phylum Porifera) are the phylogenetic oldest Metazoa still extant. They can be considered as reference animals (Urmetazoa) for the understanding of the evolutionary processes resulting in the creation of Metazoa in general and also for the metazoan gene organization in particular. In the marine sponge Suberites domuncula , genes encoding p38 and JNK kinases contain nine and twelve introns, respectively. Eight introns in both genes share the same positions and the identical phases. One p38 intron slipped for six bases and the JNK gene has three more introns. However, the sequences of the introns are not conserved and the introns in JNK gene are generally much longer. Intron…