Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2006. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2005. / Vita. Bibliography: 108-115.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-07-29Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:14:37Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 pereira_llv_me_sjrp.pdf: 1182871 bytes, checksum: 6053df49fe569dc60c6513fafdffaa9d (MD5) / No presente trabalho verificamos que os testículos possuem morfologias diferentes podendo ser arredondados, arredondados/espiralados ou alongados/espiralados. Com relação à morfometria das células em prófase I, B. micantulum e R. zela foram as que apresentaram as menores células, G. f. flavus foi a que apresentou maior tamanho e R. c. crassifemur e M. brasiliensis apresentaram tamanho intermediário. A avaliação da espermatogênese nos permitiu concluir que as características observadas são semelhantes às das outras espécies de Heteroptera, descritas na literatura, diferindo apenas com relação à morfologia dos testículos, o número de cromossomos e o sistema cromossômico do sexo. A análise das ultraestruturas observadas durante a espermatogênese de Gelastocoris flavus flavus e Martarega uruguayensis mostraram a presença de várias mitocôndrias pequenas e uniformemente distribuidas pelo citoplasma em células em profase I, de ambas espécies, que foram se unindo formando o complexo mitocondrial, que possui no seu interior as mitocôndrias enoveladas, posteriormente este complexo mitocondrial se divide em duas estruturas denominadas derivados mitocondriais, que se dispõem bilateralmente ao axonema. O axonema dessas espécies possui o padrão de 9+9+2. A formação do acrossomo inicia-se nos primeiros estágios da espermiogênese sendo composto de muitas vesículas acrossomais que se unem formando uma única estrutura, sendo observada regiões e algumas estruturas mais coradas em seu interior. Basicamente o processo de espermiogênese não diferiu entre as duas espécies analisadas / In this study, we found different morphologies for testes of the Heteroptera species Belostoma anurum, B. micantulum, Gelastocoris angulatus, G. flavus flavus, Rheumatobates crassifemur crassifemur, Buenoa amnigenus, B. unguis, Martarega brasiliensis, M. membranacea, M. uruguayensis, Rhagovelia tenuipes and R. zela. They can by round, round/spiral and elongated/spiral. The size of prophase I cells also varied, being the smallest ones detected in B. micantulum and R. zela, the largest in G. f. flavus, and the intermediate in R. c. crassifemur and M. brasiliensis. The analyses of spermatogenesis allowed us to conclude that, in the studied species, the features are similar to those of other previously described Heteroptera species, differing only as to the testicular morphology, the chromosome number, and the sex chromosome system. Ultrastructural analysis of the spermatogenesis showed several small mitochondrias evenly distributed throughout the cytoplasm, in cells at prophase I of G. f. flavus and M. uruguayensis. The small mitochondrias joined to form the mitochondrial complex. Later, this mitochondrial complex divided into two structures called mitochondrial derivatives, located bilaterally to the axoneme. The axoneme of these species showed the flagellar pattern 9+9+2. The acrosome started to be formed in the early stages of spermiogenesis, being composed of many acrosome vesicles that join to form a single structure. Some regions within this structure were more strongly stained. Basically the process of spermiogenesis did not differ between the species G. f. flavus and M. uruguayensis

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T16:24:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PGCA15MA161.pdf: 119035 bytes, checksum: a5dfaf04161545272882e1423c258dc0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The in vitro embryo production has a strong commercial and preservationist impact in Brazil. However, there are still barriers to be overcome, since the in vitro maturation does not mimic the in vivo maturation. The maturation optimization increases the embryo competence and quality, making them more cryotolerants. The meiotic blockage, after oocytes removal from their follicular environment, may be a good alternative. Three experiments (n = 2848) evaluated the Cordicepim as a meiotic blocker in bovine oocytes in different culture media, and its influence on embryonic development. Follicles 3-8 mm diameter, were punctured from abattoir ovaries and allocated into 4 groups: Control (TCM-199 + pyruvate, FSH, LH and SFB); MIVCord (TCM-199 + Pyruvate, FH, LH, FCS, Cordicepim); TCMCor (TCM-199 + Cordicepim) and TCMCont (TCM-199), followed by standard maturation (IVM) for 20 or 24 h. The effect of meiosis blockage in embryo production was assessed by cleavage and blastocyst rate, and total number of cells assessed. To evaluate the stage of maturation, oocytes were stained with Hoechst and evaluated by microscopy. Quantitative data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey test and the qualitative data by chi-square, with 5% significance. Cordicepim did not affect cleavage (60.7 vs. 56.4%) and blastocysts (30.7 vs. 24.8%) rates when added to supplemented medium (MIVCord). However, there was a reduction in cleavage (42%) and blastocysts (12.1%) rates when added to a medium without supplements (TCMCord). On the kinetics of maturation after 6 hours of pre culture, only TCMCord group maintained most oocytes blocked. Cell density of the produced embryos (26 h maturation) in MIVcont groups (189.2 ± 11.4), MIVCord (187.1 ± 12.1) and TCMCont (171.2 ± 10.4) did not differ and were higher than TCMCord group (119.7 ± 11.4). Already, with 30 h maturation cell density was similar between embryos from control group (224.2 ± 17.5) and TCMCord group (240.1 ± 10.4). However, even with 30 h maturation, only 64.8% of the oocytes completed maturation in TCMCord group, while 100% maturated in Control group. We conclude that 6 h of culture in cordicepim in the absence of gonadotropins, partially inhibits the meiosis in oocytes, and this inhibition is not successfully reversed even after 24 hours of maturation pattern in the absence of cordicepim. The cordicepim reduces embryo production when in vitro maturation is performed for 26 h. However, within 30 h maturation time, the Cordicepim does not affect embryo production rate. Yet, the cordicepim prevents the cumulus cells expansion in an irreversible manner / A produção in vitro de embriões tem um forte impacto comercial e preservacionista no Brasil. Entretanto ainda existem barreiras a serem superadas, já que a maturação in vivo não é totalmente mimetizada pela maturação in vitro. A otimização da maturação pode aumentar a competência e a qualidade embrionária, tornando-os mais criotolerantes. Uma boa alternativa pode ser o bloqueio meiótico reversível. Três experimentos (n = 2848) avaliaram o Cordicepim como bloqueador meiótico para oócitos bovinos, em diferentes meios de cultivo e sua influência no desenvolvimento embrionário. Folículos de 3-8 mm, obtidos por aspiração de ovários de frigorífico foram distribuídos em 4 grupos: Controle (TCM-199 + piruvato, FSH, LH e SFB) MIVCord (TCM-199 +Piruvato, FH, LH, SFB, Cordicepim) TCMCor (TCM-199 + Cordicepim) e TCMCont (TCM-199), seguido de maturação padrão (MIV) por 20 ou 24 horas. O efeito do bloqueio meiótico na produção de embriões foi avaliado pela taxa de clivagem, blastocisto e número total de células. Para avaliação do estágio de maturação, os oócitos foram corados com Hoechst e avaliados por microscopia. Os dados quantitativos foram submetidos à ANOVA e teste de Tukey e os qualitativos ao qui-quadrado, com 5% de significância. O Cordicepim não influenciou as taxas de clivagem (60,7 vs 56,4%) e blastocistos (30,7 vs 24,8%), quando empregado em meio suplementado (MIVCord). Porém, houve uma redução na taxa de clivagem (42%) e blastocistos (12,1%), quando empregado em meio sem suplementos (TCMCord). Na cinética de maturação nuclear após 6 horas de pré-maturação, apenas o grupo TCMCord manteve a maioria dos oócitos bloqueados (67%). A densidade celular dos embriões produzidos (26 h maturação) nos grupos controle (189,2 ± 11,4), MIVCord (187,1 ± 12,1) e TCMCont (171,2 ± 10,4) não diferiram entre si e foram superiores ao grupo TCMCord (119,7 ± 11,4). Já com 30 h de maturação a densidade celular dos embriões foi semelhante entre os grupos controle 30 (224,2 ± 17,5) e TCMCord 30 (240,1 ± 10,4). Porém, mesmo com 24 h de maturação padrão, apenas 64,8% dos oócitos do grupo TCMCord 30 completaram a maturação, enquanto no grupo controle 100% maturaram. Conclui-se que 6 h de pré-maturação em cordicepim, na ausência de suplementos, inibe parcialmente a meiose em oócitos bovinos, porém esta inibição não é revertida com êxito mesmo após 24 horas de maturação padrão na ausência de cordicepim. O cordicepim reduz a produção de embriões in vitro com 26 h de maturação. Já com 30 h de maturação, o Cordicepim não influencia a taxa de produção embrionária. Ainda, o cordicepim impede de forma irreversível a expansão das células do cumulus

The development of an organism and its adult homeostasis rely on regulatory mechanisms that control the underlying gene expression programs. In certain biological contexts, such as germ cell development, gene expression regulation is largely executed at the post-­‐transcriptional level. This relies on RNA-­‐binding proteins (RBPs), whose activity and expression are also heavily controlled. While the RNA-­‐binding potential of RBPs is currently of intense scrutiny, surprisingly little is known to date about the molecular mechanisms that control RNA-­‐binding proteins abundance in the context of germ cell development. This work identifies the molecular mechanisms that shape expression patterns of two evolutionarily conserved RNA-­‐binding proteins, CPB-­‐3 and GLD-­‐ 1, which belong to CPEB and STAR protein family, respectively. By focusing on their regulation in the C. elegans germ line, this work reveals an involvement of the proteasome in reducing levels of CPB-­‐3/CPEB and GLD-­‐1/STAR at the pachytene-­‐to-­‐diplotene transition during meiotic prophase I. Furthermore, it documents that CPB-­‐3 and GLD-­‐1 are targeted to proteasomal degradation by a conserved SCF ubiquitin ligase complex that utilises SEL-­‐10/Fbxw7 as a substrate recognition subunit. Importantly, destabilisation of both RBPs is likely triggered by their phosphorylation, which is regulated by the mitogen-­‐activated protein kinase, MPK-­‐1, and restricted to the meiotic timepoint of pachytene exit. Lastly, this work investigates the potential consequences of target mRNA regulation upon delayed RBP degradation. Altogether, the collected data characterise a molecular pathway of CPEB and STAR protein turnover, and suggest that MPK-­‐1 signaling may couple RBP-­‐mediated regulation of gene expression to progression through meiosis during oogenesis.

Mieux connaitre les facteurs qui gouvernent l’apparition des évènements de recombinaison (crossing-overs ; CO) chez le blé tendre (Triticum aestivum L.) est primordial car ce processus est l’outil principal du sélectionneur pour permettre le brassage de la diversité génétique et l’introgression de régions d’intérêt dans des variétés agronomiques. L’utilisation de techniques de cytogénétique développées sur l’orge a permis de comparer la mise en place de la synapse lors de la méiose chez des lignées de blé tendre délétées de tout ou partie du bras long du chromosome 3B et qui avaient été préalablement montrées comme présentant un nombre de chiasmas réduit par rapport à la variété euploïde. Les analyses cytogénétiques couplées à des études bioinformatiques de la séquence montrent que le synapsis a lieu quasiment normalement chez les mutants et que la délétion de certains gènes connus comme impactant le déroulement de la méiose pourrait expliquer le phénotype observé. De plus, le développement de ressources génomiques (SNP, séquence) à destination des sélectionneurs a permis la réalisation de cartes génétiques haute densité des 21 chromosomes ancrées sur la séquence du génome. Tous les chromosomes montrent le même profil de recombinaison avec un accroissement dans les parties distales et une réduction drastique dans les parties centromériques et péri-centromériques. L’exploitation de plus de 250 CO localisés dans des fenêtres de moins de 25 kb sur le chromosome 3B utilisé comme modèle pour l’étude de l’impact de la séquence sur la recombinaison, montre que les profils de recombinaison ancestrale et actuelle sont conservés et que les CO ont lieu préférentiellement dans les parties promotrices des gènes exprimés en méiose ce qui suggère que la conformation chromatinienne influence la recombinaison. Finalement, ces données ont aussi été l’opportunité de détecter des motifs liés à la recombinaison qui présentent des similarités avec celui ciblé par la protéine PRDM9 qui conduit à la recombinaison chez l’humain. Cela suggère que les mécanismes de contrôle de la recombinaison sont conservés chez les eucaryotes. / Better knowledge of the factors that drive recombination (crossovers; COs) in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is of main interest since this process is the main tool allowing breeders to admix the genetic diversity and to introgress regions of interest in agronomic varieties. We used cytogenetic techniques previously developed on barley to compare the establishment of synapsis during meiosis in deletion lines missing part or whole of the long arm of chromosome 3B of bread wheat and which were previously shown as having a reduced chiasmata number compared to euploid varieties. Cytogenetic analysis combined with bioinformatics studies showed that the synapsis occurs almost normally in mutants and that deletion of some genes known to impact meiosis behavior may explain the observed phenotype. In addition, development of genomic resources (SNPs, sequence) for wheat breeders allowed simultaneous elaboration of high density genetic maps for the 21 chromosomes anchored on genome sequence. All chromosomes present the same recombination pattern with an increase of recombination in the distal parts and reduction in centromeric/pericentromeric regions of the chromosomes. Analysis of more than 250 COs mapped in windows lower than 25kb located on chromosome 3B used as model to study the impact of sequence features on recombination showed that current and ancestral recombination patterns are conserved and that COs preferentially occur in the promoter part of gene expressed in meiosis suggesting that chromatin conformation impacts recombination. Finally, these data were the opportunity to detect recombination-associated motif which presents similarities with the motif targeted by the PRDM9 protein driving recombination in human. This suggests that the control of recombination mechanisms is conserved among eukaryotes.

No description available.

Chez la levure fissipare S. pombe, certains gènes méiotiques sont exprimés de façon constitutive pendant la croissance végétative. Cependant, pour empêcher le déclenchement prématuré de la méiose, la cellule a mis en place un système de dégradation sélective des ARN messagers correspondant. La protéine de liaison à l’ARN Mmi1, de la famille YTH, reconnaît des répétitions de motifs spécifiques (UNAAAC) au sein des transcrits et dirige ces derniers vers la dégradation par l’exosome nucléaire. Lors de l’entrée en méiose, Mmi1 est séquestré par un complexe ribonucléoprotéique comprenant la protéine de méiose Mei2 et l’ARN noncodant meiRNA, ce qui permet aux ARNm méiotiques d’être exportés et traduits. Au cours de ma thèse, je me suis intéressé au rôle de Mmi1 dans la dégradation des transcrits méiotiques pendant la croissance végétative. En accord avec des études récentes, nos travaux montrent que Mmi1 interagit étroitement avec le complexe Ccr4-Not de déadenylation des ARNm. Cette interaction est fonctionnelle car Ccr4-Not est requis pour la dégradation des ARNs méiotiques. De façon surprenante, cependant, l’activité de déadénylation n’est pas requise. Nos analyses génétiques et biochimiques suggèrent que la sous-unité E3 ubiquitin ligase Mot2 de Ccr4-Not ubiquitine un pool de l’inhibiteur de Mmi1, la protéine Mei2, pour faciliter sa dégradation par le protéasome. Cette voie de régulation permet de maintenir la fonction de Mmi1 et donc la répression des ARNm méiotiques dans les cellules mitotiques. Ainsi, Mmi1 a une double fonction: cibler les ARNm méiotiques vers la dégradation par l’exosome nucléaire, et recruter Ccr4-Not pour ubiquitiner et dégrader son propre inhibiteur Mei2. Ces résultats mettent également en avant un nouveau rôle pour la sous-unité E3 ligase du complexe Ccr4-Not dans le contrôle de la différenciation sexuelle. Des expériences supplémentaires indiquent que le domaine YTH de liaison à l’ARN de Mmi1, mais pas l’ARN noncodant meiRNA, est requis pour la dégradation de Mei2. De façon importante, nos données révèlent aussi que le domaine YTH de Mmi1 a un rôle clé dans l’interaction avec Mei2. Ceci suggère fortement que le domaine YTH agit comme un module bifonctionnel, permettant la liaison non seulement aux ARNs méiotiques mais aussi aux protéines comme Mei2. Nous discutons ces résultats dans le contexte de la littérature actuelle et proposons un nouveau modèle du contrôle de la différenciation sexuelle par le système Mmi1-Mei2. / In the fission yeast S. pombe, several meiotic mRNAs are constitutively expressed during the mitotic cell cycle. In order to avoid untimely entry into meiosis, cells have adopted a degradation system that selectively eliminates the corresponding mRNAs. The YTH family RNA-binding protein Mmi1 recognizes specific sequence motifs within these transcripts (UNAAAC) and allows their targeting to the nuclear exosome for degradation. Upon entry into meiosis, Mmi1 is sequestered in a ribonucleoprotein complex, composed by the meiotic protein Mei2 and the non-coding RNA meiRNA, allowing meiotic mRNAs to be exported and translated. During my PhD studies, I focused my interest on the role of Mmi1 in the degradation of meiotic transcripts during vegetative growth. In accord with recent studies, our results show that Mmi1 stably interacts with the mRNA deadenylation complex Ccr4-Not. This interaction has a functional relevance since Ccr4-Not is involved in the degradation of meiotic mRNAs. Surprisingly, however, the deadenylation activity is not required. Our genetic and biochemical analyses indicate that the E3 ubiquitin ligase Mot2, subunit of the Ccr4-Not complex, ubiquitinate a pool of the inhibitor of Mmi1, the Mei2 protein, to favor its degradation by the proteasome. This regulatory mechanism ensures the maintenance of Mmi1 in a functional state, leading to the persistent repression of meiotic mRNAs in mitotic cells. Thus, Mmi1 has a dual role: in nuclear mRNA surveillance, by targeting meiotic transcripts for degradation by the exosome, and in protein degradation, by recruiting Ccr4-Not to its own inhibitor Mei2. These results have also revealed a novel role for the ubiquitin ligase activity of the Ccr4-Not subunit Mot2 in the control of sexual differentiation in fission yeast. Our supplemental results indicate that the YTH RNA-binding domain of Mmi1, but not the non-coding RNA meiRNA, is required for the degradation of Mei2. Remarkably, our results also revealed that the YTH domain of Mmi1 has a key role in the interaction with Mei2. This strongly suggests that the YTH domain acts as a bifunctional module, allowing the binding not only to meiotic RNAs but also to proteins, such as Mei2. We discuss these results within the context of the current literature and we propose a novel model for the control of sexual differentiation by the Mmi1-Mei2 system.

The development of an organism and its adult homeostasis rely on regulatory mechanisms that control the underlying gene expression programs. In certain biological contexts, such as germ cell development, gene expression regulation is largely executed at the post-­‐transcriptional level. This relies on RNA-­‐binding proteins (RBPs), whose activity and expression are also heavily controlled. While the RNA-­‐binding potential of RBPs is currently of intense scrutiny, surprisingly little is known to date about the molecular mechanisms that control RNA-­‐binding proteins abundance in the context of germ cell development. This work identifies the molecular mechanisms that shape expression patterns of two evolutionarily conserved RNA-­‐binding proteins, CPB-­‐3 and GLD-­‐ 1, which belong to CPEB and STAR protein family, respectively. By focusing on their regulation in the C. elegans germ line, this work reveals an involvement of the proteasome in reducing levels of CPB-­‐3/CPEB and GLD-­‐1/STAR at the pachytene-­‐to-­‐diplotene transition during meiotic prophase I. Furthermore, it documents that CPB-­‐3 and GLD-­‐1 are targeted to proteasomal degradation by a conserved SCF ubiquitin ligase complex that utilises SEL-­‐10/Fbxw7 as a substrate recognition subunit. Importantly, destabilisation of both RBPs is likely triggered by their phosphorylation, which is regulated by the mitogen-­‐activated protein kinase, MPK-­‐1, and restricted to the meiotic timepoint of pachytene exit. Lastly, this work investigates the potential consequences of target mRNA regulation upon delayed RBP degradation. Altogether, the collected data characterise a molecular pathway of CPEB and STAR protein turnover, and suggest that MPK-­‐1 signaling may couple RBP-­‐mediated regulation of gene expression to progression through meiosis during oogenesis.

Asexual modes of reproduction are usually based on the principle of copying (cloning) DNA from the female and passing it on to the offspring. For most asexually reproducing vertebrates the progeny develop from an unreduced and often unfertilised egg. This is driven by the mechanisms of parthenogenetic and gynogenetic reproduction. While in the former the clonal germ cell develops spontaneously and separately, in the latter a sexual partner is needed to activate the cleavage of the ovum, although without the fusion of the sperm and egg. Therefore in both cases there is no fertilization and the clonal progeny consist solely of daughters, hence the majority of previous studies have only focused on asexual female lineages. However, on rare occasions asexual clonal males can arise when the right fertilization occurs. Whilst these offspring are usually infertile, fertile diploid asexual males have been discovered in just three genera of hybrid origin in vertebrates. One of these unique cases is the European water frog complex of the genus Pelophylax, whose distribution includes the Czech Republic. In areas around the upper Odra River populations of hybrid males were recently discovered who form stable all-male lineages, similar to those formed by asexual females. The results of this study show that males produce...