{"title":"Maintenance of neuronal identity in C. elegans and beyond: Lessons from transcription and chromatin factors","authors":"Honorine Destain , Manasa Prahlad , Paschalis Kratsios","doi":"10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.07.001","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Neurons are remarkably long-lived, non-dividing cells that must maintain their functional features (e.g., electrical properties, chemical signaling) for extended periods of time – decades in humans. How neurons accomplish this incredible feat is poorly understood. Here, we review recent advances, primarily in the nematode <em>C. elegans</em>, that have enhanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that enable post-mitotic neurons to maintain their functionality across different life stages. We begin with “terminal selectors” - transcription factors necessary for the establishment and maintenance of neuronal identity. We highlight new findings on five terminal selectors (CHE-1 [Glass], UNC-3 [Collier/Ebf1–4], LIN-39 [Scr/Dfd/Hox4–5], UNC-86 [Acj6/Brn3a-c], AST-1 [Etv1/ER81]) from different transcription factor families (ZNF, COE, HOX, POU, ETS). We compare the functions of these factors in specific neuron types of <em>C. elegans</em> with the actions of their orthologs in other invertebrate (<em>D. melanogaster</em>) and vertebrate (<em>M. musculus</em>) systems, highlighting remarkable functional conservation. Finally, we reflect on recent findings implicating chromatin-modifying proteins, such as histone methyltransferases and Polycomb proteins, in the control of neuronal terminal identity. Altogether, these new studies on transcription factors and chromatin modifiers not only shed light on the fundamental problem of neuronal identity maintenance, but also outline mechanistic principles of gene regulation that may operate in other long-lived, post-mitotic cell types.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":21735,"journal":{"name":"Seminars in cell & developmental biology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.2000,"publicationDate":"2023-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10592372/pdf/","citationCount":"1","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Seminars in cell & developmental biology","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1084952123001404","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CELL BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 1
Abstract
Neurons are remarkably long-lived, non-dividing cells that must maintain their functional features (e.g., electrical properties, chemical signaling) for extended periods of time – decades in humans. How neurons accomplish this incredible feat is poorly understood. Here, we review recent advances, primarily in the nematode C. elegans, that have enhanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that enable post-mitotic neurons to maintain their functionality across different life stages. We begin with “terminal selectors” - transcription factors necessary for the establishment and maintenance of neuronal identity. We highlight new findings on five terminal selectors (CHE-1 [Glass], UNC-3 [Collier/Ebf1–4], LIN-39 [Scr/Dfd/Hox4–5], UNC-86 [Acj6/Brn3a-c], AST-1 [Etv1/ER81]) from different transcription factor families (ZNF, COE, HOX, POU, ETS). We compare the functions of these factors in specific neuron types of C. elegans with the actions of their orthologs in other invertebrate (D. melanogaster) and vertebrate (M. musculus) systems, highlighting remarkable functional conservation. Finally, we reflect on recent findings implicating chromatin-modifying proteins, such as histone methyltransferases and Polycomb proteins, in the control of neuronal terminal identity. Altogether, these new studies on transcription factors and chromatin modifiers not only shed light on the fundamental problem of neuronal identity maintenance, but also outline mechanistic principles of gene regulation that may operate in other long-lived, post-mitotic cell types.
期刊介绍:
Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology is a review journal dedicated to keeping scientists informed of developments in the field of molecular cell and developmental biology, on a topic by topic basis. Each issue is thematic in approach, devoted to an important topic of interest to cell and developmental biologists, focusing on the latest advances and their specific implications.
The aim of each issue is to provide a coordinated, readable, and lively review of a selected area, published rapidly to ensure currency.