Biology subjects

James, J. R.

Publications and source records attributed to James, J. R..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

Loss Of Chromodomain of Male-Specific Lethal 3 (MSL3) Does Not Affect Spermatogenesis In Rodents

Msl3 is a member of the chromatin-associated male-specific lethal MSL complex which is responsible for the transcriptional upregulation of genes on the X chromosome in males Drosophila. Although the dosage complex operates differently in mammals, the Msl3 gene is conserved from flies to humans. Msl3 is required for meiotic entry during Drosophila oogenesis. Recent reports indicate that also in primates, Msl3 is expressed in undifferentiated germline cells before meiotic entry. However, if Msl3 plays a role in the meiotic entry of mammals has yet to be explored. To study this, we used mouse spermatogenesis as a study model. Analyses of single cells RNA-seq data revealed that, in mice, Msl3 is mostly expressed in meiotic cells. To test the role of Msl3 in meiosis, we used a male germline-specific Stra8-iCre driver and a newly generated Msl3flox conditional knock-out mouse line. Msl3 conditional loss-of-function in spermatogonia did not cause spermatogenesis defects or changes in the expression of genes related to meiosis. Our data suggest that, in mice, Msl3 exhibits delayed expression compared to Drosophila and primates, and loss-of-function mutations disrupting the chromodomain of Msl3 alone do not impede meiotic entry in rodents.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Quantifying signal persistence in the T cell signaling network using an optically controllable antigen receptor

T cells discriminate between healthy and infected cells with remarkable sensitivity when mounting an immune response. It has been hypothesized that this efficient detection requires combining signals from discrete antigen-presenting cell interactions into a more potent response, requiring T cells to maintain a memory of previous encounters. To quantify the magnitude of this phenomenon, we have developed an antigen receptor that is both optically and chemically tunable, providing control over the initiation, duration, and intensity of intracellular T-cell signaling within physiological cell conjugates. We observe very limited persistence within the T cell intracellular network on disruption of receptor input, with signals dissipating entirely in ~15 minutes, and directly confirm that sustained proximal receptor signaling is required to maintain active gene transcription. Our data suggests that T cells are largely incapable of integrating discrete antigen receptor signals but instead simply accumulate the output of gene expression. By engineering optical control in a clinically relevant chimeric antigen receptor, we show that this limited signal persistence can be exploited to increase the activation of primary T cells by ~3-fold by using pulsatile stimulation. Our results are likely to apply more generally to the signaling dynamics of other cellular networks.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2019

MSL3 coordinates a transcriptional and translational meiotic program in female Drosophila

Gamete formation from germline stem cells (GSCs) is essential for sexual reproduction. However, the regulation of GSC differentiation and meiotic entry are incompletely understood. Set2, which deposits H3K36me3 modifications, is required for differentiation of GSCs during Drosophila oogenesis. We discovered that the H3K36me3 reader Male-specific lethal 3 (MSL3) and the histone acetyltransferase complex Ada2a-containing (ATAC) cooperate with Set2 to regulate entry into meiosis in female Drosophila. MSL3 expression is restricted to the mitotic and early meiotic stages of the female germline, where it promotes transcription of genes encoding synaptonemal complex components and a germline enriched ribosomal protein S19 paralog, RpS19b. RpS19b upregulation is required for translation of Rbfox1, a known meiotic cell cycle entry factor. Thus, MSL3 is a master regulator of meiosis, coordinating the expression of factors required for recombination and GSC differentiation. We find that MSL3 is expressed during mouse spermatogenesis, suggesting a conserved function during meiosis.

developmental biology↗