Stage-specific control of stem cell niche architecture in the Drosophila testis by the posterior Hox gene Abd-B

A fundamental question in biology is how complex structures are maintained after their initial specification. We address this question by reviewing the role of the Hox gene Abd-B in Drosophila testis organogenesis, which proceeds through embryonic, larval and pupal stages to reach maturation in adult stages. The data presented in this review highlight a cell- and stage-specific function of Abd-B, since the mechanisms regulating stem cell niche positioning and architecture at different stages seem to be different despite the employment of similar factors. In addition to its described role in the male embryonic gonads, sustained activity of Abd-B in the pre-meiotic germline spermatocytes during larval stages is required to maintain the architecture of the stem cell niche by regulating βPS-integrin localization in the neighboring somatic cyst cells. Loss of Abd-B is associated with cell non-autonomous effects within the niche, leading to a dramatic reduction of pre-meiotic cell populations in adult testes. Identification of Abd-B target genes revealed that Abd-B mediates its effects by controlling the activity of the sevenless ligand Boss via its direct targets Src42A and Sec63. During adult stages, when testis morphogenesis is completed with the addition of the acto-myosin sheath originating from the genital disc, stem cell niche positioning and integrity are regulated by Abd-B activity in the acto-myosin sheath whereas integrin acts in an Abd-B independent way. It seems that the occurrence of new cell types and cell interactions in the course of testis organogenesis made it necessary to adapt the system to the new cellular conditions by reusing the same players for testis stem cell niche positioning in an alternative manner. © 2015 Papagiannouli, Lohmann. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of the Research Network of Computational and Structural Biotechnology

Third-order nonlinear optical response of push-pull azobenzene polymers

The nonlinear optical response of a series of azo-containing side-chain polymers is investigated using Z-scan technique, employing 35 ps and 4 ns laser pulses, at 532 nm. The systems were found to exhibit strong nonlinear optical response, dominated by nonlinear refraction. In all cases, the nonlinear absorption and refraction have been determined and are compared with those of disperse red 1 considered as reference. The corresponding third-order susceptibilities chi((3)) were determined to be as large as 10 (7) and 10 (5) esu under ps and ns laser excitation, respectively. Finally, the results are discussed and compared with other reported data

Stage-specific control of niche positioning and integrity in the Drosophila testis

A fundamental question is how complex structures are maintained after their initial specification. Stem cells reside in a specialized microenvironment, called niche, which provides essential signals controlling stem cell behavior. We addressed this question by studying the Drosophila male stem cell niche, called the hub. Once specified, the hub cells need to maintain their position and architectural integrity through embryonic, larval and pupal stages of testis organogenesis and during adult life. The Hox gene Abd-. B, in addition to its described role in male embryonic gonads, maintains the architecture and positioning of the larval hub from the germline by affecting integrin localization in the neighboring somatic cyst cells. We find that the AbdB-Boss/Sev cascade affects integrin independent of Talin, while genetic interactions depict integrin as the central downstream player in this system. Focal adhesion and integrin-adaptor proteins within the somatic stem cells and cyst cells, such as Paxillin, Pinch and Vav, also contribute to proper hub integrity and positioning. During adult stages, hub positioning is controlled by Abd-B activity in the outer acto-myosin sheath, while Abd-B expression in adult spermatocytes exerts no effect on hub positioning and integrin localization. Our data point at a cell- and stage-specific function of Abd-B and suggest that the occurrence of new cell types and cell interactions in the course of testis organogenesis made it necessary to adapt the whole system by reusing the same players for male stem cell niche positioning and integrity in an alternative manner. © 2015

Pyrazoline derivatives with a tailored third order nonlinear optical response

In the present work the third order nonlinear optical response of a series of pyrazoline derivatives has been experimentally investigated. All of the compounds have been prepared as doped poly(methyl methacrylate) thin polymeric films. For the needs of this study the third harmonic generation Maker fringes technique has been employed by using 30 ps laser pulse duration and 1064 nm excitation wavelength. A variety of push–pull groups of pyrazoline-based derivatives have been studied in order to relate the structural properties with the optical nonlinearity. More specifically, the molecules under investigation have in several cases different electro accepting groups, which are located in various positions of the molecular structure providing two pairs of structural isomers. The experimental results demonstrate a high dependence of the optical nonlinearity due to the functionalization with the different moieties on the pyrazoline derivatives. This fact promotes this class of materials as promising candidates for photonics and optoelectronics applications, where the control of the molecular structure as a means of tailoring the optical nonlinearities is crucial

Antagonistic Regulation of Apoptosis and Differentiation by the Cut Transcription Factor Represents a Tumor-Suppressing Mechanism in Drosophila

Apoptosis is essential to prevent oncogenic transformation by triggering self-destruction of harmful cells, including those unable to differentiate. However, the mechanisms linking impaired cell differentiation and apoptosis during development and disease are not well understood. Here we report that the Drosophila transcription factor Cut coordinately controls differentiation and repression of apoptosis via direct regulation of the pro-apoptotic gene reaper. We also demonstrate that this regulatory circuit acts in diverse cell lineages to remove uncommitted precursor cells in status nascendi and thereby interferes with their potential to develop into cancer cells. Consistent with the role of Cut homologues in controlling cell death in vertebrates, we find repression of apoptosis regulators by Cux1 in human cancer cells. Finally, we present evidence that suggests that other lineage-restricted specification factors employ a similar mechanism to put the brakes on the oncogenic process

Dynein light chain 1 functions in somatic cyst cells regulate spermatogonial divisions in Drosophila

Stem cell progeny often undergo transit amplifying divisions before differentiation. In Drosophila, a spermatogonial precursor divides four times within an enclosure formed by two somatic-origin cyst cells, before differentiating into spermatocytes. Although germline and cyst cell-intrinsic factors are known to regulate these divisions, the mechanistic details are unclear. Here, we show that loss of dynein-light-chain-1 (DDLC1/LC8) in the cyst cells eliminates bag-of-marbles (bam) expression in spermatogonia, causing gonial cell hyperplasia in Drosophila testis. The phenotype is dominantly enhanced by Dhc64C (cytoplasmic Dynein) and didum (Myosin V) loss-of-function alleles. Loss of DDLC1 or Myosin V in the cyst cells also affects their differentiation. Furthermore, cyst cell-specific loss of ddlc1 disrupts Armadillo, DE-cadherin and Integrin-βPS localizations in the cyst. Together, these results suggest that Dynein and Myosin V activities, and independent DDLC1 functions in the cyst cells organize the somatic microenvironment that regulates spermatogonial proliferation and differentiation

Chapter Five - The HOX-Apoptosis Regulatory Interplay in Development and Disease

Apoptosis is a cellular suicide program, which is on the one hand used to remove superfluous cells thereby promoting tissue or organ morphogenesis. On the other hand, the programmed killing of cells is also critical when potentially harmful cells emerge in a developing or adult organism thereby endangering survival. Due to its critical role apoptosis is tightly controlled, however so far, its regulation on the transcriptional level is less studied and understood. Hox genes, a highly conserved gene family encoding homeodomain transcription factors, have crucial roles in development. One of their prominent functions is to shape animal body plans by eliciting different developmental programs along the anterior-posterior axis. To this end, Hox proteins transcriptionally regulate numerous processes in a coordinated manner, including cell-type specification, differentiation, motility, proliferation as well as apoptosis. In this review, we will focus on how Hox proteins control organismal morphology and function by regulating the apoptotic machinery. We will first focus on well-established paradigms of Hox-apoptosis interactions and summarize how Hox transcription factors control morphological outputs and differentially shape tissues along the anterior-posterior axis by fine-tuning apoptosis in a healthy organism. We will then discuss the consequences when this interaction is disturbed and will conclude with some ideas and concepts emerging from these studies. © 2015 Elsevier Inc

Pico–femto–attosecond metrology for advanced and XUV photon sources

International audienceWe present a new Velocity Map Imaging (VMI) spectrometer based on the thick-lens configuration to be implemented at different XUV source beamlines to realize the measurements of the pulse temporal structure using the technique of laser-dressed photoionization