{"title":"Proteasome-dependent protein degradation shapes developmental tempo in mouse and human neural progenitors","authors":"Shota Nakanoh,Despina Stamataki,Lorena Garcia-Perez,Chiara Azzi,Hayley L. Carr,Alexandra Pokhilko,Loukik Doshi,Giulia L.M. Boezio,Hilary Knowles,Adriana Lamas Bancalari,Manuela Melchionda,Lu Yu,Steven Howell,Mark Skehel,David Oxley,Simon Andrews,James Briscoe,Teresa Rayon","doi":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.07.014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2026.07.014","url":null,"abstract":"The pace of embryonic development differs between mammalian species, yet the molecular basis for this remains unknown. By comparing protein dynamics in mouse and human neural progenitors (NPs), we show that protein turnover is faster in mouse NPs, driven by higher rates of protein synthesis and degradation. Human NPs exhibit longer protein half-lives, reduced proteasomal activity, and lower proteasome abundance. These differences persist in post-mitotic neurons and are also observed in the embryonic spinal cord in vivo. Pharmacological inhibition of proteasomal activity slows differentiation in mouse NPs. Conversely, enhancing proteasomal activity accelerates neuronal output in human NPs. Moreover, accelerating the degradation of the key transcriptional repressor IRX3 in mouse NPs speeds the activation of its target gene. Together, these results provide evidence that species-specific regulation of proteasome-mediated proteolysis influences the timing of neural development and suggest that evolutionary tuning of proteasomal activity contributes to differences in embryonic developmental pace.","PeriodicalId":11157,"journal":{"name":"Developmental cell","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148717822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Developmental cellPub Date : 2026-08-13DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2026.07.012
Mitsuhiro Matsuda,Henrik M. Hammarén,Jorge Lázaro,Mikhail M. Savitski,Miki Ebisuya
{"title":"Systematic differences in protein stability underlie species-specific developmental tempo","authors":"Mitsuhiro Matsuda,Henrik M. Hammarén,Jorge Lázaro,Mikhail M. Savitski,Miki Ebisuya","doi":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.07.012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2026.07.012","url":null,"abstract":"Human embryonic development proceeds more slowly than in mice. The segmentation clock offers a tractable model for studying species-specific developmental tempo, as its oscillation period in human induced presomitic mesoderm (iPSM) cells is approximately twice that of mouse. While the core clock gene HES7 exhibits slower protein degradation in human cells, it remains unclear whether such cross-species differences in protein stability reflect a general principle. Here, we perform a dynamic stable isotope labeling of amino acids in cell culture (SILAC)-based proteomic analysis of ∼5,000 proteins in human and mouse iPSM, and we uncover a broad trend of slower protein degradation in human cells, regardless of subcellular localization or degradation pathways. Moreover, inhibition of glycolysis in mouse iPSM partially phenocopies the human protein stability profile, and modulation of protein stability alters the tempo of both the segmentation clock and cellular differentiation. Our findings establish protein stability, with systematic differences across species, as a key mediator linking metabolism to developmental tempo.","PeriodicalId":11157,"journal":{"name":"Developmental cell","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148717821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Developmental cellPub Date : 2026-08-12Epub Date: 2026-07-31DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2026.07.005
Agnes Ulfig, Ursula Jakob
{"title":"Redox signaling in development: An emerging frontier.","authors":"Agnes Ulfig, Ursula Jakob","doi":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.07.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.07.005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Oxygen availability is crucial for embryonic development, influencing cellular metabolism and signaling within the embryo. Fluctuations in oxygen tension disrupt the equilibrium between glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration, leading to localized alterations in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. At physiological levels, ROS, particularly hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), act as important signaling molecules. They actively modulate cellular processes through reversible oxidation of critical cysteine residues in redox-sensitive proteins, thereby fine-tuning the activities of various signaling pathways, transcription factors, and epigenetic regulators. Despite limited studies directly investigating ROS signaling in development, substantial literature suggests that many developmental pathways are influenced by ROS. This review aims to synthesize this existing evidence, explore the molecular mechanisms of thiol-dependent regulation, and examine how disruptions in redox balance impact cell fate decisions, developmental timing, and tissue morphogenesis. Our goal is to catalyze further research in this promising yet heavily underexplored area, highlighting its significance and timeliness.</p>","PeriodicalId":11157,"journal":{"name":"Developmental cell","volume":" ","pages":"1604-1619"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148648409","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Developmental cellPub Date : 2026-08-12DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2026.07.016
Andrew D.J. Tu, Deane F. Mosher, Judith A. Simcox
{"title":"A TREK that activates thermogenic adipose tissue by sensing cold air in the lung","authors":"Andrew D.J. Tu, Deane F. Mosher, Judith A. Simcox","doi":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.07.016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2026.07.016","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11157,"journal":{"name":"Developmental cell","volume":"65 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148715635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Developmental cellPub Date : 2026-08-12Epub Date: 2026-06-29DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2026.06.001
Hui Zheng, Hongyu Zhao, Hong Zhang
{"title":"Two parallel neuronal circuits involving electrical synapse and DAF-7/TGF-β signaling regulate muscle autophagy in C. elegans.","authors":"Hui Zheng, Hongyu Zhao, Hong Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.06.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.06.001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The systemic coordination of autophagy during development remains poorly understood. Here, we identify two parallel neuronal circuits that regulate the autophagy-lysosome pathway in the body wall muscle of C. elegans. One circuit, utilizing UNC-7/UNC-9 electrical synapses between AVA interneurons and A-type motor neurons (A-MNs), promotes autophagy by inhibiting neuropeptide release from A-MNs. The other employs the TGF-β-like molecule DAF-7, secreted from ASI sensory neurons, which activates autophagy via the canonical TGF-β pathway. These pathways converge to regulate cytosolic Ca²⁺ levels in the muscle, thereby maintaining lysosomal integrity. Disruption of either circuit elevates Ca²⁺, overactivating calpain. This leads to the accumulation of non-degradative autolysosomes and accelerates muscle degeneration. Our findings elucidate a neuronal mechanism for controlling muscle autophagy and provide insights into the pathogenesis of neurogenic myopathy.</p>","PeriodicalId":11157,"journal":{"name":"Developmental cell","volume":" ","pages":"1634-1651.e6"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148351018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}