Johann Schredelseker

Scl Represses Cardiomyogenesis in Prospective Hemogenic Endothelium and Endocardium

Endothelium in embryonic hematopoietic tissues generates hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells; however, it is unknown how its unique potential is specified. We show that transcription factor Scl/Tal1 is essential for both establishing the hematopoietic transcriptional program in hemogenic endothelium and preventing its misspecification to a cardiomyogenic fate. Scl(-/-) embryos activated a cardiac transcriptional program in yolk sac endothelium, leading to the emergence of CD31+Pdgfrα+ cardiogenic precursors that generated spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes. Ectopic cardiogenesis was also observed in Scl(-/-) hearts, where the disorganized endocardium precociously differentiated into cardiomyocytes. Induction of mosaic deletion of Scl in Scl(fl/fl)Rosa26Cre-ER(T2) embryos revealed a cell-intrinsic, temporal requirement for Scl to prevent cardiomyogenesis from endothelium. Scl(-/-) endothelium also upregulated the expression of Wnt antagonists, which promoted rapid cardiomyocyte differentiation of ectopic cardiogenic cells. These results reveal unexpected plasticity in embryonic endothelium such that loss of a single master regulator can induce ectopic cardiomyogenesis from endothelial cells.

High-Resolution Structure and Double Electron-Electron Resonance of the Zebrafish Voltage Dependent Anion Channel 2 Reveal an Oligomeric Population.

Background: Biochemical characterization of voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (VDAC2) is limited due to an inability to obtain functional protein. Results: The crystal structure of VDAC2 suggests a dimer interface that is confirmed by double electron-electron resonance and cross-linking. Conclusion: zfVDAC2 has a fractional dimeric population. Significance: VDAC isoforms are structurally similar, but this study has identified a number of hot spots that require further exploration. In recent years, there has been a vast increase in structural and functional understanding of VDAC1, but VDAC2 and -3 have been understudied despite having many unique phenotypes. One reason for the paucity of structural and biochemical characterization of the VDAC2 and -3 isoforms stems from the inability of obtaining purified, functional protein. Here we demonstrate the expression, isolation, and basic characterization of zebrafish VDAC2 (zfVDAC2). Further, we resolved the structure of zfVDAC2 at 2.8 Å resolution, revealing a crystallographic dimer. The dimer orientation was confirmed in solution by double electron-electron resonance spectroscopy and by cross-linking experiments disclosing a dimer population of ∼20% in lauryldimethine amine oxide detergent micelles, whereas in lipidic bicelles a higher population of dimeric and higher order oligomers species were observed. The present study allows for a more accurate structural comparison between VDAC2 and its better-studied counterpart VDAC1.

Proper Restoration of Excitation-Contraction Coupling in the Dihydropyridine Receptor β1-null Zebrafish Relaxed Is an Exclusive Function of the β1a Subunit

The paralyzed zebrafish strain relaxed carries a null mutation for the skeletal muscle dihydropyridine receptor (DHPR) β1a subunit. Lack of β1a results in (i) reduced membrane expression of the pore forming DHPR α1S subunit, (ii) elimination of α1S charge movement, and (iii) impediment of arrangement of the DHPRs in groups of four (tetrads) opposing the ryanodine receptor (RyR1), a structural prerequisite for skeletal muscle-type excitation-contraction (EC) coupling. In this study we used relaxed larvae and isolated myotubes as expression systems to discriminate specific functions of β1a from rather general functions of β isoforms. Zebrafish and mammalian β1a subunits quantitatively restored α1S triad targeting and charge movement as well as intracellular Ca2+ release, allowed arrangement of DHPRs in tetrads, and most strikingly recovered a fully motile phenotype in relaxed larvae. Interestingly, the cardiac/neuronal β2a as the phylogenetically closest, and the ancestral housefly βM as the most distant isoform to β1a also completely recovered α1S triad expression and charge movement. However, both revealed drastically impaired intracellular Ca2+ transients and very limited tetrad formation compared with β1a. Consequently, larval motility was either only partially restored (β2a-injected larvae) or not restored at all (βM). Thus, our results indicate that triad expression and facilitation of 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor (DHPR) charge movement are common features of all tested β subunits, whereas the efficient arrangement of DHPRs in tetrads and thus intact DHPR-RyR1 coupling is only promoted by the β1a isoform. Consequently, we postulate a model that presents β1a as an allosteric modifier of α1S conformation enabling skeletal muscle-type EC coupling.

Identification and functional characterization of malignant hyperthermia mutation T1354S in the outer pore of the Cavα1S-subunit

To identify the genetic locus responsible for malignant hyperthermia susceptibility (MHS) in an Italian family, we performed linkage analysis to recognized MHS loci. All MHS individuals showed cosegregation of informative markers close to the voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel (Ca(V)) α(1S)-subunit gene (CACNA1S) with logarithm of odds (LOD)-score values that matched or approached the maximal possible value for this family. This is particularly interesting, because so far MHS was mapped to >178 different positions on the ryanodine receptor (RYR1) gene but only to two on CACNA1S. Sequence analysis of CACNA1S revealed a c.4060A>T transversion resulting in amino acid exchange T1354S in the IVS5-S6 extracellular pore-loop region of Ca(V)α(1S) in all MHS subjects of the family but not in 268 control subjects. To investigate the impact of mutation T1354S on the assembly and function of the excitation-contraction coupling apparatus, we expressed GFP-tagged α(1S)T1354S in dysgenic (α(1S)-null) myotubes. Whole cell patch-clamp analysis revealed that α(1S)T1354S produced significantly faster activation of L-type Ca(2+) currents upon 200-ms depolarizing test pulses compared with wild-type GFP-α(1S) (α(1S)WT). In addition, α(1S)T1354S-expressing myotubes showed a tendency to increased sensitivity for caffeine-induced Ca(2+) release and to larger action-potential-induced intracellular Ca(2+) transients under low (≤ 2 mM) caffeine concentrations compared with α(1S)WT. Thus our data suggest that an additional influx of Ca(2+) due to faster activation of the α(1S)T1354S L-type Ca(2+) current, in concert with higher caffeine sensitivity of Ca(2+) release, leads to elevated muscle contraction under pharmacological trigger, which might be sufficient to explain the MHS phenotype.

Non–Ca2+-conducting Ca2+ channels in fish skeletal muscle excitation-contraction coupling

During skeletal muscle excitation-contraction (EC) coupling, membrane depolarizations activate the sarcolemmal voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ channel (CaV1.1). CaV1.1 in turn triggers opening of the sarcoplasmic Ca2+ release channel (RyR1) via interchannel protein–protein interaction to release Ca2+ for myofibril contraction. Simultaneously to this EC coupling process, a small and slowly activating Ca2+ inward current through CaV1.1 is found in mammalian skeletal myotubes. The role of this Ca2+ influx, which is not immediately required for EC coupling, is still enigmatic. Interestingly, whole-cell patch clamp experiments on freshly dissociated skeletal muscle myotubes from zebrafish larvae revealed the lack of such Ca2+ currents. We identified two distinct isoforms of the pore-forming CaV1.1α1S subunit in zebrafish that are differentially expressed in superficial slow and deep fast musculature. Both do not conduct Ca2+ but merely act as voltage sensors to trigger opening of two likewise tissue-specific isoforms of RyR1. We further show that non-Ca2+ conductivity of both CaV1.1α1S isoforms is a common trait of all higher teleosts. This non-Ca2+ conductivity of CaV1.1 positions teleosts at the most-derived position of an evolutionary trajectory. Though EC coupling in early chordate muscles is activated by the influx of extracellular Ca2+, it evolved toward CaV1.1-RyR1 protein–protein interaction with a relatively small and slow influx of external Ca2+ in tetrapods. Finally, the CaV1.1 Ca2+ influx was completely eliminated in higher teleost fishes.

The role of auxiliary dihydropyridine receptor subunits in muscle

The skeletal muscle dihydropyridine receptor is a slowly-activating calcium channel that functions as the voltage sensor in excitation-contraction coupling. In addition to the pore-forming α1S subunit it contains the transmembrane α2δ-1 and γ1 subunits and the cytoplasmic β1a subunit. Although the roles of the auxiliary subunits in calcium channel function have been intensively studied in heterologous expression systems, their functions in excitation-contraction coupling has only recently been elucidated in muscle cells of various null-mutant animal models. In this article we will briefly outline the current state of these investigations.

Mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake by the voltage-dependent anion channel 2 regulates cardiac rhythmicity

Tightly regulated Ca2+ homeostasis is a prerequisite for proper cardiac function. To dissect the regulatory network of cardiac Ca2+ handling, we performed a chemical suppressor screen on zebrafish tremblor embryos, which suffer from Ca2+ extrusion defects. Efsevin was identified based on its potent activity to restore coordinated contractions in tremblor. We show that efsevin binds to VDAC2, potentiates mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and accelerates the transfer of Ca2+ from intracellular stores into mitochondria. In cardiomyocytes, efsevin restricts the temporal and spatial boundaries of Ca2+ sparks and thereby inhibits Ca2+ overload-induced erratic Ca2+ waves and irregular contractions. We further show that overexpression of VDAC2 recapitulates the suppressive effect of efsevin on tremblor embryos whereas VDAC2 deficiency attenuates efsevins rescue effect and that VDAC2 functions synergistically with MCU to suppress cardiac fibrillation in tremblor. Together, these findings demonstrate a critical modulatory role for VDAC2-dependent mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in the regulation of cardiac rhythmicity. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.04801.001

Skeletal muscle excitation–contraction coupling is independent of a conserved heptad repeat motif in the C-terminus of the DHPRβ1a subunit

In skeletal muscle excitation–contraction (EC) coupling the sarcolemmal L-type Ca2+ channel or 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor (DHPR) transduces the membrane depolarization signal to the sarcoplasmic Ca2+ release channel RyR1 via protein–protein interaction. While it is evident that the pore-forming and voltage-sensing DHPRα1S subunit is essential for this process, the intracellular DHPRβ1a subunit was also shown to be indispensable. We previously found that the β1a subunit is essential to target the DHPR into groups of four (tetrads) opposite the RyR1 homotetramers, a prerequisite for skeletal muscle EC coupling. Earlier, a unique hydrophobic heptad repeat motif (L⋯V⋯V) in the C-terminus of β1a was postulated by others to be essential for skeletal muscle EC coupling, as substitution of these residues with alanines resulted in 80% reduction of RyR1 Ca2+ release. Therefore, we wanted to address the question if the proposed β1a heptad repeat motif could be an active element of the DHPR–RyR1 signal transduction mechanism or already contributes at the ultrastructural level i.e. DHPR tetrad arrangement. Surprisingly, our experiments revealed full tetrad formation and an almost complete restoration of EC coupling in β1-null zebrafish relaxed larvae and isolated myotubes upon expression of a β1a-specific heptad repeat mutant (LVV to AAA) and thus contradict the earlier results.

Identification of a Chemical Supressor of Cardiac Arrhythmia Induced by Aberrant Calcium Homeostasis

Ca2+ homeostasis is essential for rhythmic contractions of the adult myocardium. In the developing embryo, a role of Ca2+ in establishing cardiac rhythmicity has been proposed, but the underlying mechanism has yet to be fully explored. We have previously shown that zebrafish tremblor mutant embryos develop a fibrillating heart and that the tremblor locus encodes a cardiac-specific isoform of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, NCX1h. While rhythmic Ca2+ waves were detected with each cardiac contraction in wild type hearts, only local, unsynchronized Ca2+ signals together with sporadic contractions were observed in tremblor hearts. These data suggest that loss of function of NCX1h induces cardiac fibrillation in tremblor and that tremblor mutants can serve as a model for cardiac arrhythmia induced by aberrant calcium homeostasis.From a collection of small molecules, we found a novel compound, OK-F7, that could restore rhythmic cardiac contractions in tremblor embryos at low micromolar concentrations in a reversible and dosage-dependent manner. We tested the effect of OK-F7 on isolated cardiomyocytes under Ca2+ overload conditions and found that treatment with 1 µM OK-F7 reduces the frequency of spontaneously propagating Ca2+ waves by approximately half, while 25 µM OK-F7 almost entirely abolishes Ca2+ waves. A biochemical pull-down assay using an OK-F7 affinity column isolated a mitochondrial membrane protein that selectively bound to OK-F7. These findings suggest that OK-F7 suppresses cardiac fibrillation by reducing the frequency of arrhythmogenic Ca2+ waves in Ca2+-overloaded cardiomyocytes and indicate a novel role of mitochondria in cardiac Ca2+ handling and control of rhythmicity. Further validation of the target protein and biophysical experiments confirming a role of mitochondria in the mechanism of OK-F7 action are underway and will be discussed.Supported by NIH-1R01HL096980-01A1 and FWF-J3065-B11.