Phaeodactylum tricornutum: An established model species for diatom molecular research and an emerging chassis for algal synthetic biology.

Diatoms are prominent and highly diverse microalgae in aquatic environments. Compared with other diatom species, Phaeodactylum tricornutum is an "atypical diatom" displaying three different morphotypes and lacking the usual silica shell. Despite being of limited ecological relevance, its ease of growth in the laboratory and well-known physiology, alongside the steady increase in genome-enabled information coupled with effective tools for manipulating gene expression, have meant it has gained increased recognition as a powerful experimental model for molecular research on diatoms. We here present a brief overview of how over the last 25 years P. tricornutum has contributed to the unveiling of fundamental aspects of diatom biology, while also emerging as a new tool for algal process engineering and synthetic biology.

Identification of LINE retrotransposons and long non-coding RNAs expressed in the octopus brain.

BACKGROUND: Transposable elements (TEs) widely contribute to the evolution of genomes allowing genomic innovations, generating germinal and somatic heterogeneity, and giving birth to long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). These features have been associated to the evolution, functioning, and complexity of the nervous system at such a level that somatic retrotransposition of long interspersed element (LINE) L1 has been proposed to be associated to human cognition. Among invertebrates, octopuses are fascinating animals whose nervous system reaches a high level of complexity achieving sophisticated cognitive abilities. The sequencing of the genome of the Octopus bimaculoides revealed a striking expansion of TEs which were proposed to have contributed to the evolution of its complex nervous system. We recently found a similar expansion also in the genome of Octopus vulgaris. However, a specific search for the existence and the transcription of full-length transpositionally competent TEs has not been performed in this genus. RESULTS: Here, we report the identification of LINE elements competent for retrotransposition in Octopus vulgaris and Octopus bimaculoides and show evidence suggesting that they might be transcribed and determine germline and somatic polymorphisms especially in the brain. Transcription and translation measured for one of these elements resulted in specific signals in neurons belonging to areas associated with behavioral plasticity. We also report the transcription of thousands of lncRNAs and the pervasive inclusion of TE fragments in the transcriptomes of both Octopus species, further testifying the crucial activity of TEs in the evolution of the octopus genomes. CONCLUSIONS: The neural transcriptome of the octopus shows the transcription of thousands of putative lncRNAs and of a full-length LINE element belonging to the RTE class. We speculate that a convergent evolutionary process involving retrotransposons activity in the brain has been important for the evolution of sophisticated cognitive abilities in this genus.

Genome editing in diatoms: achievements and goals.

Diatoms are major components of phytoplankton and play a key role in the ecology of aquatic ecosystems. These algae are of great scientific importance for a wide variety of research areas, ranging from marine ecology and oceanography to biotechnology. During the last 20 years, the availability of genomic information on selected diatom species and a substantial progress in genetic manipulation, strongly contributed to establishing diatoms as molecular model organisms for marine biology research. Recently, tailored TALEN endonucleases and the CRISPR/Cas9 system were utilized in diatoms, allowing targeted genetic modifications and the generation of knockout strains. These approaches are extremely valuable for diatom research because breeding, forward genetic screens by random insertion, and chemical mutagenesis are not applicable to the available model species Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Thalassiosira pseudonana, which do not cross sexually in the lab. Here, we provide an overview of the genetic toolbox that is currently available for performing stable genetic modifications in diatoms. We also discuss novel challenges that need to be addressed to fully exploit the potential of these technologies for the characterization of diatom biology and for metabolic engineering.

p63 Suppresses non-epidermal lineage markers in a bone morphogenetic protein-dependent manner via repression of Smad7.

p63, a p53 family member, plays an essential role in epidermal development by regulating its transcriptional program. Here we report a previously uncovered role of p63 in controlling bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, which is required for maintaining low expression levels of several non-epidermal genes. p63 represses transcription of the inhibitory Smad7 and activates Bmp7, thereby sustaining BMP signaling. In the absence of p63, compromised BMP signaling leads to inappropriate non-epidermal gene expression in postnatal mouse keratinocytes and in embryonic epidermis. Reactivation of BMP signaling by Smad7 knockdown and/or, to a lesser extent, by BMP treatment suppresses expression of non-epidermal genes in the absence of p63. Canonical BMP/Smad signaling is essential for control of non-epidermal genes as use of a specific inhibitor, or simultaneous knockdown of Smad1 and Smad5 counteract suppression of non-epidermal genes. Our data indicate that p63 prevents ectopic expression of non-epidermal genes by a mechanism involving Smad7 repression and, to a lesser extent, Bmp7 induction, with consequent enhancement of BMP/Smad signaling.

MRP3 is a sex determining gene in the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata.

A broad diversity of sex-determining systems has evolved in eukaryotes. However, information on the mechanisms of sex determination for unicellular microalgae is limited, including for diatoms, key-players of ocean food webs. Here we report the identification of a mating type (MT) determining gene for the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata. By comparing the expression profile of the two MTs, we find five MT-biased genes, of which one, MRP3, is expressed exclusively in MT+ strains in a monoallelic manner. A short tandem repeat of specific length in the region upstream of MRP3 is consistently present in MT+ and absent in MT- strains. MRP3 overexpression in an MT- strain induces sex reversal: the transgenic MT- can mate with another MT- strain and displays altered regulation of the other MT-biased genes, indicating that they lie downstream. Our data show that a relatively simple genetic program is involved in defining the MT in P. multistriata.

Structural organization of the sea urchin DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase gene and characterization of five alternative spliced transcripts.

Sea urchin DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase (Dnmt1) that is responsible for maintenance of DNA methylation patterns clearly shares similarity with various Dnmt1s identified in vertebrates. In this study, we determined the structure of the sea urchin Dnmt1 gene by screening a genomic library of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus with the complementary DNA (cDNA) as probe. Analysis of the positive clones demonstrated that the Dnmt1 gene consists of 34 exons and 33 introns spanning a distance of 35 kb. All exon-intron junction sequences agree with the GT/AG consensus with the exception of the 3' acceptor site of intron 8 where CT replaces AG consensus. The differences in the total number of exons between sea urchin and mouse genes reside mainly in the N-terminal region of the protein (exons 5-7 of the sea urchin, exons 5-12 of the mouse) where there is very low similarity in the amino acid sequence. By reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using oligonucleotides spanning different regions of the cDNA we carried out a comprehensive analysis of alternative splicing of the Dnmt1 messenger RNA (mRNA) in sea urchin embryos at different stages of development. We demonstrated the presence of at least five alternative spliced mRNAs that are regulated during development and are translated in truncated or deleted proteins.

Expression of a single prominin homolog in the embryo of the model chordate Ciona intestinalis.

Prominins are a family of pentaspan transmembrane glycoproteins, expressed in various types of cells, including stem and cancer stem cells in mammals. Prominin-1 is critical in generating and maintaining the structure of the photoreceptors in the eye since mutations in the PROM1 gene are associated with retinal and macular degeneration in human. In this study, we identified a single prominin homolog, Ci-prom1/2, in the model chordate the ascidian Ciona intestinalis and characterized Ci-prom1/2 expression profile in relation to photoreceptor differentiation during Ciona embryonic development. In situ hybridization experiments show Ci-prom1/2 transcripts localized in the developing central nervous system, predominantly in photoreceptor cell precursors as early as neurula stage and expression is maintained through larva stage in photoreceptor cells around the simple eye. We also isolated the regulatory region responsible for the specific spatio-temporal expression of the Ci-prom1/2 in photoreceptor cell lineage. Collectively, we report that Ci-prom1/2 is a novel molecular marker for ascidian photoreceptor cells and might represent a potential source to enlarge the knowledge about the function of prominin family in photoreceptor cell evolution and development.

Transcriptional repression of miR-34 family contributes to p63-mediated cell cycle progression in epidermal cells.

p63, a p53 family member, is highly expressed in the basal proliferative compartment of the epidermis and its expression has been correlated with the growth ability and regenerative capacity of keratinocytes. In this study we report a mechanism through which p63 maintains cell cycle progression by directly repressing miR-34a and miR-34c. In the absence of p63, increased levels of miR-34a and miR-34c were observed in primary keratinocytes and in embryonic skin, with concomitant G1-phase arrest and inhibition of the cell cycle regulators cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4). p63 directly bound to p53-consensus sites in both miR-34a and miR-34c regulatory regions and inhibited their activity. Concomitant downregulation of miR-34a and miR-34c substantially restored cell cycle progression and expression of cyclin D1 and Cdk4. Our data indicate that specific miR-34 family members have a significant role downstream of p63 in controlling epidermal cell proliferation.