Subhajit Nan, Amity University, Kolkata
Scientists have recently recognized the genetic programming considered to be involved in the ‘reverse development’ of a cnidarian species and have produced a genetic profile of all the stages in its life cycle, opening a new front in cellular reprogramming research.
Explaining immortality through genomic tools
A recent study published in the journal Genome Biology and Evolution aims to explain the genetic pathways associated with the ‘reverse development’ and ‘cellular transdifferentiation’ of a sample member of the cnidarian subcategory of the animal kingdom, employing sequential and pairwise genetic ‘transcriptomic’ comparison of life cycle stages involved in both forward and reverse development. These genomic tools have the potential to further the
study of the cellular mechanisms and molecular drivers in the cnidarians, due to which their cells spontaneously leave a differentiated state to become a new lineage.
Salient Features of the study
For the study in discussion, the scientists used the hydrozoan Turritopsis dohrnii as the sample cnidarian species. To obtain further information on the genetics involved in the network of cellular reprogramming and reverse development in the organisms belonging to phylum cnidaria, they artificially produced and marked up its genetic ‘transcriptome’. The ‘medusa’ of these organisms responds to damage due to mechanical injury or aging by transforming into a ‘juvenile stage’, also known as the ‘polyp’ stage. Then, they pass through an intermediate ‘encystation’ stage for a short period. It is at this stage when their ‘cellular transdifferentiation’ takes place.
Analyses through ‘sequential and pairwise’ Differential Gene Expression (DGE) of the major stages in the life cycle, involved in the ‘ontogenetic reversal’ of the cnidarian organism, was carried out.
The ‘sequential’ analyses indicated that many cellular processes were active, even in the otherwise metabolically uncharacterized encystation stage. Such processes are associated with novel and characterized genes that regulate the organism’s aging and lifespan. These processes include the molecular repairing of DNA, regulation of ‘transposable’ genetic elements, and damage response mechanisms. Ubiquitin, an essential element in the cellular life cycle, and its related processes were also found to be active in the cnidarian encystation phase.
The ‘pairwise’ analyses showed that, unlike a random colonial polyp, the medusa of the sample cnidarian is enriched with genes associated with the components of the neural mesoglea, the cellular membrane transport, the muscular contraction, and the nervous system. On the other hand, the expression of the genes associated with the formation of the primary germinal layers and ‘chitin metabolism’ is blocked.
Significance of the study
The scientists found that the colonial polyp and the encysted ‘reversed’ polyp show substantial variances in their genetic expressions. This reversed polyp is supplemented with genes that involve chromatin organization and remodeling processes, embryonic development, and the enzymatic expressions of the metalloproteinases present in the cellular matrix. Suppressing or blocking genes, on the contrary, are associated with the signaling pathways of the ‘RAC G-protein’.
The identification of the cellular genetic networks that could be involved in this ‘reverse development’ of the sample cnidarian and the transcriptomic profiling of the stages of its life cycle can be potentially used as a system for research on cellular reprogramming in the future.
Also read: Parasitoid Wasps Endogenization from Diverse Viral Ancestors
References: – Matsumoto, Yui, and Maria Pia Miglietta. “Cellular Reprogramming and Immortality: Expression Profiling Reveals Putative Genes Involved in Turritopsis Dohrnii’s Life Cycle Reversal.” Genome Biology and Evolution, edited by Dennis Lavrov, June 2021, p. evab136. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evab136.
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About the Author: –
Subhajit Nan is an aspiring biotechnologist, living in Kolkata. He is currently in his second year, pursuing a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in the field, from Amity University, Kolkata. He has completed his schooling at Calcutta Boys’ School in the Science stream. He has a keen interest in scientific research and writing. He likes debating, playing chess, and
swimming in various competitions.
Other Publications of the Author: –
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/treating-irritable-bowel-syndrome-with-low-fodmaps-diet/
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/novel-strategies-for-clostridioides-difficile-infection-treatment/
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/water-in-the-liquid-form-found-in-an-ancient-meteorite/
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/fabrics-with-digital-capabilities-worlds-first-fibre-computer/
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/manufacturing-synthetic-polymers-from-modified-virus-resistant-bacteria/
- https://bioxone.in/news/worldnews/h10n3-strain-of-bird-flu-and-its-first-human-infection/
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