Fusexins, HAP2/GCS1 and Evolution of Gamete Fusion

Gamete fusion is the climax of fertilization in all sexually reproductive organisms, from unicellular fungi to humans. Similarly to other cell-cell fusion events, gamete fusion is mediated by specialized proteins, named fusogens, that overcome the energetic barriers during this process. In recent years, HAPLESS 2/GENERATIVE CELL-SPECIFIC 1 (HAP2/GCS1) was identified as the fusogen mediating sperm-egg fusion in flowering plants and protists, being both essential and sufficient for the membrane merger in some species. The identification of HAP2/GCS1 in invertebrates, opens the possibility that a similar fusogen may be used in vertebrate fertilization. HAP2/GCS1 proteins share a similar structure with two distinct families of exoplasmic fusogens: the somatic Fusion Family (FF) proteins discovered in nematodes, and class II viral glycoproteins (e.g., rubella and dengue viruses). Altogether, these fusogens form the Fusexin superfamily. While some attributes are shared among fusexins, for example the overall structure and the possibility of assembly into trimers, some other characteristics seem to be specific, such as the presence or not of hydrophobic loops or helices at the distal tip of the protein. Intriguingly, HAP2/GCS1 or other fusexins have neither been identified in vertebrates nor in fungi, raising the question of whether these genes were lost during evolution and were replaced by other fusion machinery or a significant divergence makes their identification difficult. Here, we discuss the biology of HAP2/GCS1, its involvement in gamete fusion and the structural, mechanistic and evolutionary relationships with other fusexins.

Attenuated fusogenicity and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant

The emergence of a new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant, Omicron, is the most urgent concern in the global health in December 2021. Our statistical modelling estimates that Omicron is >3.0-fold and >5.6-fold more transmissible than Delta in South Africa and the UK, respectively. Intriguingly, cell culture experiments show that Omicron is less fusogenic than Delta and ancestral SARS-CoV-2. Although the spike (S) protein of Delta is efficiently cleaved into the two subunits, which facilitates cell-cell fusion, Omicron S is faintly cleaved. Further, in hamster model, Omicron shows decreased lung infectivity and is less pathogenic compared to Delta and ancestral SARS-CoV-2. Our data suggest that the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 S cleavage and viral fusogenicity are closely associated with viral pathogenicity, and Omicron evolved to exhibit increased transmissibility and attenuated pathogenicity.

Novel mechanism of plasmid-DNA transfer mediated by heterologous cell fusion in syntrophic coculture of Clostridium organisms

The evolution of bacteria is driven by random genetic mutations and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of genetic material from other bacteria. HGT can occur via transformation, transduction, and conjugation. Here, we present a potential new mechanism of HGT which occurs in a syntrophic Clostridium coculture. We have previously shown that in syntrophic cocultures of Clostridium acetobutylicum and Clostridium ljungdahlii, the two organisms undergo heterologous cell fusion, which includes fusion of the peptidoglycan cell walls and membranes. Heterologous cell fusion facilitated a large-scale exchange of cytoplasmic protein and RNA between the two organisms, leading to the formation of hybrid bacterial cells containing cytoplasmic material of the two parent organisms. Here we present new evidence that cell fusion events also facilitate the exchange of plasmid DNA between the two organisms of the syntrophic coculture. Through the use of a selective subculturing process, we successfully isolated wild-type C. acetobutylicum clones which have acquired a portion of the plasmid DNA, containing the antibiotic resistance marker, from a recombinant strain of C. ljungdahlii. Fusion events led to formation of persistent aberrant hybrid cells with distinct morphogenetic characteristics. Furthermore, our data support the concept of a novel, interspecies, mechanism of acquiring antibiotic resistance. Since neither organism contains any known conjugation machinery or mechanism, these findings expand our understanding of multi-species microbiomes, their survival strategies, and evolution.

Functional coupling between TRPV4 channel and TMEM16F modulates human trophoblast fusion

TMEM16F, a Ca2+-activated phospholipid scramblase (CaPLSase), is critical for placental trophoblast syncytialization, HIV infection, and SARS-CoV2-mediated syncytialization. How TMEM16F is activated during cell fusion is unclear. Here, we used trophoblasts as a model for cell fusion and demonstrated that Ca2+ influx through Ca2+ permeable transient receptor potential vanilloid channel TRPV4 is critical for TMEM16F activation and subsequent human trophoblast fusion. GSK1016790A, a TRPV4 specific agonist, robustly activates TMEM16F in trophoblasts. Patch-clamp electrophysiology demonstrated that TRPV4 and TMEM16F are functionally coupled within Ca2+ microdomains in human trophoblasts. Pharmacological inhibition or gene silencing of TRPV4 hindered TMEM16F activation and subsequent trophoblast syncytialization. Our study uncovers the functional expression of TRPV4 and a physiological activation mechanism of TMEM16F in human trophoblasts, thus providing us with novel strategies to regulate CaPLSase activity as a critical checkpoint of physiologically- and disease-relevant cell fusion events.

Mitochondrial fission dysfunction alleviates heterokaryon incompatibility-triggered cell death in the industrial filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae

ABSTRACTIn filamentous fungi, cell-to-cell recognition is a fundamental requirement for the formation, development, and maintenance of complex hyphal networks. Basically, self/compatible individuals within the fungal species are capable of fusing together, a step important for crossbreeding, which results in the formation of viable vegetative heterokaryons. Conversely, the fusion of incompatible individuals does not result in the formation of viable hyphal networks, but it often leads to growth inhibition or cell death. Even though a number of studies have been conducted to investigate such incompatibility, the understanding of the associated molecular mechanism is still limited, and this restricts the possibility of crossbreeding incompatible individuals. Therefore, in this study, the characteristics of compatibility/incompatibility in the industrial filamentous fungus, Aspergillus oryzae, were comprehensively investigated. Protoplast fusion and co-culture assays indicated the existence of a correlation between strain phylogeny and compatibility/incompatibility features. Time-course fluorescence observations were employed to investigate the types of incompatible responses that are induced at different cellular levels upon incompatible cell fusion, which eventually lead to cell death. Propidium iodide-indicated cell death, ROS accumulation, and mitochondrial fragmentation were identified as the major responses, with mitochondrial fragmentation showing the most significant subcellular change immediately after incompatible cell fusion. Furthermore, the deletions of mitochondrial fission-related genes Aofis1 and Aodnm1 in incompatible pairing alleviated cell death, indicating that mitochondrial fission is an important mechanism by which incompatibility-triggered cell death occurs. Therefore, this study provides new insights about heterokaryon incompatibility.IMPORTANCEFor a long time, it was believed that as an asexual fungus, A. oryzae does not exhibit any sexual cycle. However, the fungus has two mating types, indicating the potential for sexual reproduction besides a known parasexual cycle. Therefore, given that viable heterokaryon formation following cell fusion is an important step required for genetic crossing, we explored the mechanism of incompatibility, which restricts the possibility of cell fusion in A. oryzae. Protoplast fusion and co-culture assays led to the identification of various vegetative compatible groups. Mitochondrial fragmentation was found to be the most significant incompatible cellular response that occurred in organelles during incompatible pairing, while the deletion of mitochondrial fission-related genes was identified as a strategy used to alleviate incompatibility-triggered cell death. Thus, this study revealed a novel mechanism by which mitochondrial fission regulates incompatible responses.

Adipoclast: a multinucleated fat-eating macrophage

Cell membrane fusion and multinucleation in macrophages are associated with physiologic homeostasis as well as disease. Osteoclasts are multinucleated macrophages that resorb bone through increased metabolic activity resulting from cell fusion. Fusion of macrophages also generates multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) in white adipose tissue (WAT) of obese individuals. For years, our knowledge of MGCs in WAT has been limited to their description as part of crown-like structures (CLS) surrounding damaged adipocytes. However, recent evidence indicates that these cells can phagocytose oversized lipid remnants, suggesting that, as in osteoclasts, cell fusion and multinucleation are required for specialized catabolic functions. We thus reason that WAT MGCs can be viewed as functionally analogous to osteoclasts and refer to them in this article as adipoclasts. We first review current knowledge on adipoclasts and their described functions. In view of recent advances in single cell genomics, we describe WAT macrophages from a ‘fusion perspective’ and speculate on the ontogeny of adipoclasts. Specifically, we highlight the role of CD9 and TREM2, two plasma membrane markers of lipid-associated macrophages in WAT, which have been previously described as regulators of fusion and multinucleation in osteoclasts and MGCs. Finally, we consider whether strategies aiming to target WAT macrophages can be more selectively directed against adipoclasts.

Tumor Hybrid Cells: Nature and Biological Significance

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer death and can be realized through the phenomenon of tumor cell fusion. The fusion of tumor cells with other tumor or normal cells leads to the appearance of tumor hybrid cells (THCs) exhibiting novel properties such as increased proliferation and migration, drug resistance, decreased apoptosis rate and avoiding immune surveillance. Experimental studies showed the association of THCs with a high frequency of cancer metastasis; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Many other questions also remain to be answered: the role of genetic alterations in tumor cell fusion, the molecular landscape of cells after fusion, the lifetime and fate of different THCs, and the specific markers of THCs, and their correlation with various cancers and clinicopathological parameters. In this review, we discuss the factors and potential mechanisms involved in the occurrence of THCs, the types of THCs, and their role in cancer drug resistance and metastasis, as well as potential therapeutic approaches for the prevention and targeting of tumor cell fusion. In conclusion, we emphasize the current knowledge gaps in the biology of THCs that should be addressed to develop highly effective therapeutics and strategies for metastasis suppression.

Sensing of cytoplasmic chromatin by cGAS activates innate immune response in SARS-CoV-2 infection

The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a positive-sense RNA virus. How the host immune system senses and responds to SARS-CoV-2 infection remain largely unresolved. Here, we report that SARS-CoV-2 infection activates the innate immune response through the cytosolic DNA sensing cGAS-STING pathway. SARS-CoV-2 infection induces the cellular level of 2′3′-cGAMP associated with STING activation. cGAS recognizes chromatin DNA shuttled from the nucleus as a result of cell-to-cell fusion upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. We further demonstrate that the expression of spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 from host cells is sufficient to trigger cytoplasmic chromatin upon cell fusion. Furthermore, cytoplasmic chromatin-cGAS-STING pathway, but not MAVS-mediated viral RNA sensing pathway, contributes to interferon and pro-inflammatory gene expression upon cell fusion. Finally, we show that cGAS is required for host antiviral responses against SARS-CoV-2, and a STING-activating compound potently inhibits viral replication. Together, our study reported a previously unappreciated mechanism by which the host innate immune system responds to SARS-CoV-2 infection, mediated by cytoplasmic chromatin from the infected cells. Targeting the cytoplasmic chromatin-cGAS-STING pathway may offer novel therapeutic opportunities in treating COVID-19. In addition, these findings extend our knowledge in host defense against viral infection by showing that host cells’ self-nucleic acids can be employed as a “danger signal” to alarm the immune system.