Argonautes and small RNAs associated with nematode programmed DNA elimination
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Ascaris suum
PROVIDER: GSE316157 | GEO | 2026/01/12
REPOSITORIES: GEO
Similar Datasets
Project description:Programmed DNA elimination (PDE) is a notable exception to genome integrity, characterized by significant DNA loss during development. In many nematodes, PDE is initiated by DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), which lead to chromosome fragmentation and subsequent DNA loss. However, the mechanism of nematode programmed DNA breakage remains largely unclear. Interestingly, in the human and pig parasitic nematode Ascaris, no conserved motif or sequence structures are present at chromosomal breakage regions (CBRs), suggesting the recognition of CBRs may be sequence-independent. Using Hi-C, we revealed that Ascaris CBRs engage in three-dimensional (3D) interactions before PDE, indicating that physical contacts between break regions may contribute to the PDE process. The 3D interactions are established in both Ascaris male and female germlines, demonstrating inherent genome organization associated with the CBRs and to-be-eliminated sequences. In contrast, in the unichromosomal horse parasite Parascaris univalens, transient pairwise interactions between neighboring CBRs that will form the ends of future somatic chromosomes were observed only during PDE. Intriguingly, we found that Ascaris PDE, which converts 24 germline chromosomes into 36 somatic ones, induces specific compartmentalization changes. Remarkably, Parascaris PDE generates the same set of 36 somatic chromosomes, and the 3D compartment changes following PDE are consistent between the two species. Overall, our findings suggest that CBRs spatially demarcate the retained and eliminated DNA and may contribute to their spatial organization during Ascaris PDE. We also demonstrated that the 3D genome reorganization of the somatic chromosomes in these nematodes following PDE is evolutionary and developmentally conserved.
2026-01-10 | GSE315650 | GEO
Project description:Programmed DNA elimination (PDE) is a notable exception to genome integrity, characterized by significant DNA loss during development. In many nematodes, PDE is initiated by DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), which lead to chromosome fragmentation and subsequent DNA loss. However, the mechanism of nematode programmed DNA breakage remains largely unclear. Interestingly, in the human and pig parasitic nematode Ascaris, no conserved motif or sequence structures are present at chromosomal breakage regions (CBRs), suggesting the recognition of CBRs may be sequence-independent. Using Hi-C, we revealed that Ascaris CBRs engage in three-dimensional (3D) interactions before PDE, indicating that physical contacts between break regions may contribute to the PDE process. The 3D interactions are established in both Ascaris male and female germlines, demonstrating inherent genome organization associated with the CBRs and to-be-eliminated sequences. In contrast, in the unichromosomal horse parasite Parascaris univalens, transient pairwise interactions between neighboring CBRs that will form the ends of future somatic chromosomes were observed only during PDE. Intriguingly, we found that Ascaris PDE, which converts 24 germline chromosomes into 36 somatic ones, induces specific compartmentalization changes. Remarkably, Parascaris PDE generates the same set of 36 somatic chromosomes, and the 3D compartment changes following PDE are consistent between the two species. Overall, our findings suggest that CBRs spatially demarcate the retained and eliminated DNA and may contribute to their spatial organization during Ascaris PDE. We also demonstrated that the 3D genome reorganization of the somatic chromosomes in these nematodes following PDE is evolutionary and developmentally conserved.
2025-12-24 | GSE314626 | GEO
Project description:Programmed DNA elimination (PDE) is a notable exception to the paradigm of genome integrity. In metazoa, PDE often occurs during early embryogenesis, coincident with germline to somatic cell differentiation. During PDE, portions of genomic DNA are lost, resulting in reduced somatic genomes. Recent studies have described the sequences lost and chromosome behavior in metazoa. However, a system for studying the mechanisms and consequences of PDE in metazoa is lacking. Here, we established a functional and genetic model for PDE in the free-living nematode Oscheius tipulae, a member of the Rhabditidae family, which includes Caenorhabditis elegans. O. tipulae was recently suggested to eliminate DNA. Using staged embryos, we show that O. tipulae PDE occurs during embryogenesis at the 2-16 cell stages, similar to the human/pig parasitic nematode Ascaris. We identified a conserved motif, named Sequence For Elimination (SFE), for all 12 break sites on the six chromosomes at the junction of retained and eliminated DNA. SFE mutants exhibit a “fail-to-eliminate” phenotype only at the modified sites. END-seq revealed that breaks can occur at multiple positions within the SFE, with extensive end resection followed by telomere addition to both retained and eliminated ends. We identified through END-seq in the wild-type embryos, genome sequencing of SFE mutants, and comparative genomics of 23 wild isolates a large number of functional SFEs at the chromosome ends. We suggest these alternative SFEs provide flexibility in the sequences eliminated and a fail-safe mechanism for PDE. These studies establish O. tipulae as a new, attractive model to study the mechanisms and consequences of PDE in a metazoan.
2022-09-24 | GSE213884 | GEO
Project description:Programmed DNA elimination (PDE) is a notable exception to the paradigm of genome integrity. In metazoa, PDE often occurs during early embryogenesis, coincident with germline to somatic cell differentiation. During PDE, portions of genomic DNA are lost, resulting in reduced somatic genomes. Recent studies have described the sequences lost and chromosome behavior in metazoa. However, a system for studying the mechanisms and consequences of PDE in metazoa is lacking. Here, we established a functional and genetic model for PDE in the free-living nematode Oscheius tipulae, a member of the Rhabditidae family, which includes Caenorhabditis elegans. O. tipulae was recently suggested to eliminate DNA. Using staged embryos, we show that O. tipulae PDE occurs during embryogenesis at the 2-16 cell stages, similar to the human/pig parasitic nematode Ascaris. We identified a conserved motif, named Sequence For Elimination (SFE), for all 12 break sites on the six chromosomes at the junction of retained and eliminated DNA. SFE mutants exhibit a “fail-to-eliminate” phenotype only at the modified sites. END-seq revealed that breaks can occur at multiple positions within the SFE, with extensive end resection followed by telomere addition to both retained and eliminated ends. We identified through END-seq in the wild-type embryos, genome sequencing of SFE mutants, and comparative genomics of 23 wild isolates a large number of functional SFEs at the chromosome ends. We suggest these alternative SFEs provide flexibility in the sequences eliminated and a fail-safe mechanism for PDE. These studies establish O. tipulae as a new, attractive model to study the mechanisms and consequences of PDE in a metazoan.
2022-09-24 | GSE213883 | GEO
Project description:Programmed DNA elimination (PDE) is a notable exception to the paradigm of genome integrity. In metazoa, PDE often occurs during early embryogenesis, coincident with germline to somatic cell differentiation. During PDE, portions of genomic DNA are lost, resulting in reduced somatic genomes. Recent studies have described the sequences lost and chromosome behavior in metazoa. However, a system for studying the mechanisms and consequences of PDE in metazoa is lacking. Here, we established a functional and genetic model for PDE in the free-living nematode Oscheius tipulae, a member of the Rhabditidae family, which includes Caenorhabditis elegans. O. tipulae was recently suggested to eliminate DNA. Using staged embryos, we show that O. tipulae PDE occurs during embryogenesis at the 2-16 cell stages, similar to the human/pig parasitic nematode Ascaris. We identified a conserved motif, named Sequence For Elimination (SFE), for all 12 break sites on the six chromosomes at the junction of retained and eliminated DNA. SFE mutants exhibit a “fail-to-eliminate” phenotype only at the modified sites. END-seq revealed that breaks can occur at multiple positions within the SFE, with extensive end resection followed by telomere addition to both retained and eliminated ends. We identified through END-seq in the wild-type embryos, genome sequencing of SFE mutants, and comparative genomics of 23 wild isolates a large number of functional SFEs at the chromosome ends. We suggest these alternative SFEs provide flexibility in the sequences eliminated and a fail-safe mechanism for PDE. These studies establish O. tipulae as a new, attractive model to study the mechanisms and consequences of PDE in a metazoan.
2022-09-24 | GSE213885 | GEO
Project description:A growing list of metazoans undergo programmed DNA elimination (PDE), where a significant amount of DNA is selectively lost from the genome during development. In some nematodes, PDE leads to the removal of the ends of all germline chromosomes. In several species, PDE also eliminates sequences in the interior of the chromosomes, leading to an increased number of somatic chromosomes. The biological significance of these karyotype changes associated with PDE and the origin and evolution of nematode PDE remain largely unknown. Here, we assembled the single pair of germline chromosomes of the horse parasite Parascaris univalens and compared the karyotypes, gene organization within the chromosomes, and PDE features among ascarids. We show that Parascaris converts an XX/XY sex-determination system in the germline into an XX/XO system in the somatic cells. Comparisons of Ascaris, Parascaris, and Baylisascaris chromosomes suggest that PDE existed in the ancestor of these parasites, and their current distinct germline karyotypes were derived from fusion events of the same ancestral smaller chromosomes. PDE resolves these fused germline chromosomes and restores their pre-fusion karyotypes, leading to alterations in genome architecture and gene expression in the somatic cells. Cytological and genomic analyses further reveal the dynamic organization of the Parascaris germline chromosome during meiosis and a potential function for the satellite DNA and the heterochromatin arms. Overall, our results show that chromosome fusion and PDE have been harnessed in these ascarids to shape their karyotypes that could modulate the organization and functions of the genomes.
2024-04-22 | GSE254994 | GEO
Project description:A growing list of metazoans undergo programmed DNA elimination (PDE), where a significant amount of DNA is selectively lost from the genome during development. In some nematodes, PDE leads to the removal of the ends of all germline chromosomes. In several species, PDE also eliminates sequences in the interior of the chromosomes, leading to an increased number of somatic chromosomes. The biological significance of these karyotype changes associated with PDE and the origin and evolution of nematode PDE remain largely unknown. Here, we assembled the single pair of germline chromosomes of the horse parasite Parascaris univalens and compared the karyotypes, gene organization within the chromosomes, and PDE features among ascarids. We show that Parascaris converts an XX/XY sex-determination system in the germline into an XX/XO system in the somatic cells. Comparisons of Ascaris, Parascaris, and Baylisascaris chromosomes suggest that PDE existed in the ancestor of these parasites, and their current distinct germline karyotypes were derived from fusion events of the same ancestral smaller chromosomes. PDE resolves these fused germline chromosomes and restores their pre-fusion karyotypes, leading to alterations in genome architecture and gene expression in the somatic cells. Cytological and genomic analyses further reveal the dynamic organization of the Parascaris germline chromosome during meiosis and a potential function for the satellite DNA and the heterochromatin arms. Overall, our results show that chromosome fusion and PDE have been harnessed in these ascarids to shape their karyotypes that could modulate the organization and functions of the genomes.
2024-04-22 | GSE254811 | GEO
Project description:A growing list of metazoans undergo programmed DNA elimination (PDE), where a significant amount of DNA is selectively lost from the genome during development. In some nematodes, PDE leads to the removal of the ends of all germline chromosomes. In several species, PDE also eliminates sequences in the interior of the chromosomes, leading to an increased number of somatic chromosomes. The biological significance of these karyotype changes associated with PDE and the origin and evolution of nematode PDE remain largely unknown. Here, we assembled the single pair of germline chromosomes of the horse parasite Parascaris univalens and compared the karyotypes, gene organization within the chromosomes, and PDE features among ascarids. We show that Parascaris converts an XX/XY sex-determination system in the germline into an XX/XO system in the somatic cells. Comparisons of Ascaris, Parascaris, and Baylisascaris chromosomes suggest that PDE existed in the ancestor of these parasites, and their current distinct germline karyotypes were derived from fusion events of the same ancestral smaller chromosomes. PDE resolves these fused germline chromosomes and restores their pre-fusion karyotypes, leading to alterations in genome architecture and gene expression in the somatic cells. Cytological and genomic analyses further reveal the dynamic organization of the Parascaris germline chromosome during meiosis and a potential function for the satellite DNA and the heterochromatin arms. Overall, our results show that chromosome fusion and PDE have been harnessed in these ascarids to shape their karyotypes that could modulate the organization and functions of the genomes.
2024-04-22 | GSE254814 | GEO
Project description:Most DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are harmful to genome integrity. However, some forms of DSBs are essential to biological processes, such as meiotic recombination and V(D)J recombination. DSBs are also required for programmed DNA elimination (PDE) in ciliates and nematodes. In nematodes, the DSBs are healed with telomere addition. While telomere addition sites have been well-characterized, little is known regarding the DSBs that fragment nematode chromosomes. Here, we used embryos from the nematode Ascaris to study the timing of PDE breaks and examine the DSBs and their end processing. Using END-seq, we characterize the DSB ends and demonstrate that DNA breaks are introduced before mitosis, followed by extensive end resection. The resection profile is unique for each break site, and the resection generates 3’ overhangs before the addition of telomeres. Interestingly, telomere healing occurs much more frequently on retained DSB ends than on eliminated ends. This biased repair of the DSB in Ascaris is likely due to the sequestration of the eliminated DNA into micronuclei, preventing their ends from telomere healing. Additional DNA breaks occur within the eliminated DNA in both Ascaris and Parascaris, ensuring chromosomal breakage and providing a fail-safe mechanism for nematode PDE.
2024-03-15 | GSE260958 | GEO
Project description:The stability of the genome is paramount to organisms. However, diverse eukaryotes carry out programmed DNA elimination in which portions or entire chromsomes are lost in early development or during sex determination. During early development of the parasitic nematode, Ascaris suum, 13% of the genome is eliminated. How different genomic segments are reproducibly retained or discarded is unknown. Here, we show that centromeric histone CENP-A localization plays a key role in this process. We show that Ascaris chromosomes are holocentric during germline mitoses, with CENP-A distributed along their length. Prior to DNA elimination in the four-cell embryo, CENP-A is significantly diminished in chromosome regions that will be lost. This leads to the absence of kinetochores and microtubule attachment sites necessary for chromosome segregation, resulting in loss of these regions upon mitosis. Our data suggest that changes in CENP-A localization specify which portions of chromosomes will be lost during programmed DNA elimination.
2016-07-15 | GSE76914 | GEO