KAUST Global Collaborative Research, Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong.
J Proteome Res. 2013 Mar 1;12(3):1344-58. doi: 10.1021/pr3010088. Epub 2013 Jan 29.
Larval growth of the polychaete worm Pseudopolydora vexillosa involves the formation of segment-specific structures. When larvae attain competency to settle, they discard swimming chaetae and secrete mucus. The larvae build tubes around themselves and metamorphose into benthic juveniles. Understanding the molecular processes, which regulate this complex and unique transition, remains a major challenge because of the limited molecular information available. To improve this situation, we conducted high-throughput RNA sequencing and quantitative proteome analysis of the larval stages of P. vexillosa. Based on gene ontology (GO) analysis, transcripts related to cellular and metabolic processes, binding, and catalytic activities were highly represented during larval-adult transition. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), calcium-signaling, Wnt/β-catenin, and notch signaling metabolic pathways were enriched in transcriptome data. Quantitative proteomics identified 107 differentially expressed proteins in three distinct larval stages. Fourteen and 53 proteins exhibited specific differential expression during competency and metamorphosis, respectively. Dramatic up-regulation of proteins involved in signaling, metabolism, and cytoskeleton functions were found during the larval-juvenile transition. Several proteins involved in cell signaling, cytoskeleton and metabolism were up-regulated, whereas proteins related to transcription and oxidative phosphorylation were down-regulated during competency. The integration of high-throughput RNA sequencing and quantitative proteomics allowed a global scale analysis of larval transcripts/proteins associated molecular processes in the metamorphosis of polychaete worms. Further, transcriptomic and proteomic insights provide a new direction to understand the fundamental mechanisms that regulate larval metamorphosis in polychaetes.
多毛环节蠕虫 Pseudopolydora vexillosa 的幼虫生长涉及特定结构的形成。当幼虫达到定居能力时，它们会丢弃游泳刚毛并分泌粘液。幼虫在自己周围建造管，并变态为底栖幼体。由于可用的分子信息有限，了解调节这一复杂而独特转变的分子过程仍然是一个主要挑战。为了改善这种情况，我们对 P. vexillosa 的幼虫阶段进行了高通量 RNA 测序和定量蛋白质组分析。基于基因本体论 (GO) 分析，与细胞和代谢过程、结合和催化活性相关的转录本在幼虫-成虫过渡期间高度表达。丝裂原活化蛋白激酶 (MAPK)、钙信号、Wnt/β-catenin 和 notch 信号代谢途径在转录组数据中富集。定量蛋白质组学在三个不同的幼虫阶段鉴定了 107 个差异表达蛋白。在能力和变态过程中，分别有 14 个和 53 个蛋白表现出特异性差异表达。在幼虫-幼体过渡期间，发现参与信号转导、代谢和细胞骨架功能的蛋白质显著上调。几种参与细胞信号转导、细胞骨架和代谢的蛋白质上调，而与转录和氧化磷酸化相关的蛋白质在能力期下调。高通量 RNA 测序和定量蛋白质组学的整合允许对多毛环节蠕虫变态过程中与分子过程相关的幼虫转录本/蛋白质进行全面分析。此外，转录组和蛋白质组学的见解为理解调节多毛环节幼虫变态的基本机制提供了新的方向。
