1
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Fox SC, Waskiewicz AJ. Transforming growth factor beta signaling and craniofacial development: modeling human diseases in zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1338070. [PMID: 38385025 PMCID: PMC10879340 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1338070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Humans and other jawed vertebrates rely heavily on their craniofacial skeleton for eating, breathing, and communicating. As such, it is vital that the elements of the craniofacial skeleton develop properly during embryogenesis to ensure a high quality of life and evolutionary fitness. Indeed, craniofacial abnormalities, including cleft palate and craniosynostosis, represent some of the most common congenital abnormalities in newborns. Like many other organ systems, the development of the craniofacial skeleton is complex, relying on specification and migration of the neural crest, patterning of the pharyngeal arches, and morphogenesis of each skeletal element into its final form. These processes must be carefully coordinated and integrated. One way this is achieved is through the spatial and temporal deployment of cell signaling pathways. Recent studies conducted using the zebrafish model underscore the importance of the Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-β) and Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) pathways in craniofacial development. Although both pathways contain similar components, each pathway results in unique outcomes on a cellular level. In this review, we will cover studies conducted using zebrafish that show the necessity of these pathways in each stage of craniofacial development, starting with the induction of the neural crest, and ending with the morphogenesis of craniofacial elements. We will also cover human skeletal and craniofacial diseases and malformations caused by mutations in the components of these pathways (e.g., cleft palate, craniosynostosis, etc.) and the potential utility of zebrafish in studying the etiology of these diseases. We will also briefly cover the utility of the zebrafish model in joint development and biology and discuss the role of TGF-β/BMP signaling in these processes and the diseases that result from aberrancies in these pathways, including osteoarthritis and multiple synostoses syndrome. Overall, this review will demonstrate the critical roles of TGF-β/BMP signaling in craniofacial development and show the utility of the zebrafish model in development and disease.
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2
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Schneider RF, Gunter HM, Salewski I, Woltering JM, Meyer A. Growth dynamics and molecular bases of evolutionary novel jaw extensions in halfbeaks and needlefishes (Beloniformes). Mol Ecol 2023; 32:5798-5811. [PMID: 37750351 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Evolutionary novelties-derived traits without clear homology found in the ancestors of a lineage-may promote ecological specialization and facilitate adaptive radiations. Examples for such novelties include the wings of bats, pharyngeal jaws of cichlids and flowers of angiosperms. Belonoid fishes (flying fishes, halfbeaks and needlefishes) feature an astonishing diversity of extremely elongated jaw phenotypes with undetermined evolutionary origins. We investigate the development of elongated jaws in a halfbeak (Dermogenys pusilla) and a needlefish (Xenentodon cancila) using morphometrics, transcriptomics and in situ hybridization. We confirm that these fishes' elongated jaws are composed of distinct base and novel 'extension' portions. These extensions are morphologically unique to belonoids, and we describe the growth dynamics of both bases and extensions throughout early development in both studied species. From transcriptomic profiling, we deduce that jaw extension outgrowth is guided by populations of multipotent cells originating from the anterior tip of the dentary. These cells are shielded from differentiation, but proliferate and migrate anteriorly during the extension's allometric growth phase. Cells left behind at the tip leave the shielded zone and undergo differentiation into osteoblast-like cells, which deposit extracellular matrix with both bone and cartilage characteristics that mineralizes and thereby provides rigidity. Such bone has characteristics akin to histological observations on the elongated 'kype' process on lower jaws of male salmon, which may hint at common conserved regulatory underpinnings. Future studies will evaluate the molecular pathways that govern the anterior migration and proliferation of these multipotent cells underlying the belonoids' evolutionary novel jaw extensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf F Schneider
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Marine Ecology, GEOMAR, Kiel, Germany
| | - Helen M Gunter
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Inken Salewski
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Joost M Woltering
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Axel Meyer
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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3
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Iyer S, Dhiman N, Zade SP, Mukherjee S, Singla N, Kumar M. Exposure to Tetrabutylammonium Bromide Impairs Cranial Neural Crest Specification, Neurogenic Program, and Brain Morphogenesis. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:1785-1798. [PMID: 37125651 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) is a widely used industrial reagent and is commonly found in our aquatic ecosystem as an industrial byproduct. In humans, the ingestion of TBAB causes severe neurological impairments and disorders such as vertigo, hallucinations, and delirium. Yet, the extent of environmental risk and TBAB toxicity to human health is poorly understood. In this study, we aim to determine the developmental toxicity of TBAB using zebrafish embryos as a model and provide novel insights into the mechanism of action of such chemicals on neurodevelopment and the overall embryonic program. Our results show that exposure to TBAB results in impaired development of the brain, inner ear, and pharyngeal skeletal elements in the zebrafish embryo. TBAB treatment resulted in aberrations in the specification of the neural crest precursors, hindbrain segmentation, and otic neurogenesis. TBAB treatment also induced a surge in apoptosis in the head, tail, and trunk regions of the developing embryo. Long-term TBAB exposure resulted in cardiac edema and craniofacial defects. Further, in silico molecular docking analysis indicated that TBAB binds to AMPA receptors and modulates neural developmental genes such as olfactomedin and acetylcholinesterase in the embryonic brain. To summarize, our study highlights the novel effects of TBAB on embryonic brain formation and segmentation, ear morphogenesis, and craniofacial skeletal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharada Iyer
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Uppal Road, Habsiguda, Hyderabad 500007, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Neha Dhiman
- Department of Biochemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh160014, India
| | - Suraj P Zade
- Global Product Compliance─India, 301, Samved Sankul, Near MLA Hostel, Civil Lines, Nagpur 440001, India
| | - Sulagna Mukherjee
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Uppal Road, Habsiguda, Hyderabad 500007, India
| | - Neha Singla
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh160014, India
| | - Megha Kumar
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Uppal Road, Habsiguda, Hyderabad 500007, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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4
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Ma RC, Kocha KM, Méndez-Olivos EE, Ruel TD, Huang P. Origin and diversification of fibroblasts from the sclerotome in zebrafish. Dev Biol 2023; 498:35-48. [PMID: 36933633 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2023.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Fibroblasts play an important role in maintaining tissue integrity by secreting components of the extracellular matrix and initiating response to injury. Although the function of fibroblasts has been extensively studied in adults, the embryonic origin and diversification of different fibroblast subtypes during development remain largely unexplored. Using zebrafish as a model, we show that the sclerotome, a sub-compartment of the somite, is the embryonic source of multiple fibroblast subtypes including tenocytes (tendon fibroblasts), blood vessel associated fibroblasts, fin mesenchymal cells, and interstitial fibroblasts. High-resolution imaging shows that different fibroblast subtypes occupy unique anatomical locations with distinct morphologies. Long-term Cre-mediated lineage tracing reveals that the sclerotome also contributes to cells closely associated with the axial skeleton. Ablation of sclerotome progenitors results in extensive skeletal defects. Using photoconversion-based cell lineage analysis, we find that sclerotome progenitors at different dorsal-ventral and anterior-posterior positions display distinct differentiation potentials. Single-cell clonal analysis combined with in vivo imaging suggests that the sclerotome mostly contains unipotent and bipotent progenitors prior to cell migration, and the fate of their daughter cells is biased by their migration paths and relative positions. Together, our work demonstrates that the sclerotome is the embryonic source of trunk fibroblasts as well as the axial skeleton, and local signals likely contribute to the diversification of distinct fibroblast subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger C Ma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Katrinka M Kocha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Emilio E Méndez-Olivos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Tyler D Ruel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Peng Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada.
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5
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Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of zebrafish cranial neural crest reveals spatiotemporal regulation of lineage decisions during development. Cell Rep 2021; 37:110140. [PMID: 34936864 PMCID: PMC8741273 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural crest (NC) cells migrate throughout vertebrate embryos to give rise to a huge variety of cell types, but when and where lineages emerge and their regulation remain unclear. We have performed single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of cranial NC cells from the first pharyngeal arch in zebrafish over several stages during migration. Computational analysis combining pseudotime and real-time data reveals that these NC cells first adopt a transitional state, becoming specified mid-migration, with the first lineage decisions being skeletal and pigment, followed by neural and glial progenitors. In addition, by computationally integrating these data with RNA-seq data from a transgenic Wnt reporter line, we identify gene cohorts with similar temporal responses to Wnts during migration and show that one, Atp6ap2, is required for melanocyte differentiation. Together, our results show that cranial NC cell lineages arise progressively and uncover a series of spatially restricted cell interactions likely to regulate such cell-fate decisions. Tatarakis et al. provide a single-cell transcriptomic timeline of cranial neural crest (NC) development in zebrafish and address long-standing questions surrounding the integration of NC cell migration and lineage specification. They find that lineages are specified mid-migration. These fate decisions correspond to shifts in Wnt signaling, and lineages rapidly segregate.
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6
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Jang HS, Chen Y, Ge J, Wilkening AN, Hou Y, Lee HJ, Choi YR, Lowdon RF, Xing X, Li D, Kaufman CK, Johnson SL, Wang T. Epigenetic dynamics shaping melanophore and iridophore cell fate in zebrafish. Genome Biol 2021; 22:282. [PMID: 34607603 PMCID: PMC8489059 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02493-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zebrafish pigment cell differentiation provides an attractive model for studying cell fate progression as a neural crest progenitor engenders diverse cell types, including two morphologically distinct pigment cells: black melanophores and reflective iridophores. Nontrivial classical genetic and transcriptomic approaches have revealed essential molecular mechanisms and gene regulatory circuits that drive neural crest-derived cell fate decisions. However, how the epigenetic landscape contributes to pigment cell differentiation, especially in the context of iridophore cell fate, is poorly understood. RESULTS We chart the global changes in the epigenetic landscape, including DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility, during neural crest differentiation into melanophores and iridophores to identify epigenetic determinants shaping cell type-specific gene expression. Motif enrichment in the epigenetically dynamic regions reveals putative transcription factors that might be responsible for driving pigment cell identity. Through this effort, in the relatively uncharacterized iridophores, we validate alx4a as a necessary and sufficient transcription factor for iridophore differentiation and present evidence on alx4a's potential regulatory role in guanine synthesis pathway. CONCLUSIONS Pigment cell fate is marked by substantial DNA demethylation events coupled with dynamic chromatin accessibility to potentiate gene regulation through cis-regulatory control. Here, we provide a multi-omic resource for neural crest differentiation into melanophores and iridophores. This work led to the discovery and validation of iridophore-specific alx4a transcription factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo Sik Jang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
- Present address: Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI USA
| | - Yujie Chen
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Jiaxin Ge
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Alicia N. Wilkening
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Yiran Hou
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Hyung Joo Lee
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - You Rim Choi
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Rebecca F. Lowdon
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Xiaoyun Xing
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Daofeng Li
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Charles K. Kaufman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, and Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO USA
| | - Stephen L. Johnson
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO USA
- The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO USA
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7
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Metikala S, Casie Chetty S, Sumanas S. Single-cell transcriptome analysis of the zebrafish embryonic trunk. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254024. [PMID: 34234366 PMCID: PMC8263256 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
During embryonic development, cells differentiate into a variety of distinct cell types and subtypes with diverse transcriptional profiles. To date, transcriptomic signatures of different cell lineages that arise during development have been only partially characterized. Here we used single-cell RNA-seq to perform transcriptomic analysis of over 20,000 cells disaggregated from the trunk region of zebrafish embryos at the 30 hpf stage. Transcriptional signatures of 27 different cell types and subtypes were identified and annotated during this analysis. This dataset will be a useful resource for many researchers in the fields of developmental and cellular biology and facilitate the understanding of molecular mechanisms that regulate cell lineage choices during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeeva Metikala
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, USF Health Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States of America
| | - Satish Casie Chetty
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
- Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
| | - Saulius Sumanas
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, USF Health Heart Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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8
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Abstract
Atonal homologue 8 (atoh8) is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor expressed in a variety of embryonic tissues. While several studies have implicated atoh8 in various developmental pathways in other species, its role in zebrafish development remains uncertain. So far, no studies have dealt with an in-depth in situ analysis of the tissue distribution of atoh8 in embryonic zebrafish. We set out to pinpoint the exact location of atoh8 expression in a detailed spatio-temporal analysis in zebrafish during the first 24 h of development (hpf). To our surprise, we observed transcription from pre-segmentation stages in the paraxial mesoderm and during the segmentation stages in the somitic sclerotome and not—as previously reported—in the myotome. With progressing maturation of the somites, the restriction of atoh8 to the sclerotomal compartment became evident. Double in situ hybridisation with atoh8 and myoD revealed that both genes are expressed in the somites at coinciding developmental stages; however, their domains do not spatially overlap. A second domain of atoh8 expression emerged in the embryonic brain in the developing cerebellum and hindbrain. Here, we observed a specific expression pattern which was again in contrast to the previously published suggestion of atoh8 transcription in neural crest cells. Our findings point towards a possible role of atoh8 in sclerotome, cerebellum and hindbrain development. More importantly, the results of this expression analysis provide new insights into early sclerotome development in zebrafish—a field of research in developmental biology which has not received much attention so far.
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9
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Jacob T, Chakravarty A, Panchal A, Patil M, Ghodadra G, Sudhakaran J, Nuesslein-Volhard C. Zebrafish twist2/dermo1 regulates scale shape and scale organization during skin development and regeneration. Cells Dev 2021; 166:203684. [PMID: 33994357 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2021.203684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Scales are skin appendages in fishes that evolutionarily predate feathers in birds and hair in mammals. Zebrafish scales are dermal in origin and develop during metamorphosis. Understanding regulation of scale development in zebrafish offers an exciting possibility of unraveling how the mechanisms of skin appendage formation evolved in lower vertebrates and whether these mechanisms remained conserved in birds and mammals. Here we have investigated the expression and function of twist 2/dermo1 gene - known for its function in feather and hair formation - in scale development and regeneration. We show that of the four zebrafish twist paralogues, twist2/dermo1 and twist3 are expressed in the scale forming cells during scale development. Their expression is also upregulated during scale regeneration. Our knockout analysis reveals that twist2/dermo1 gene functions in the maintenance of the scale shape and organization during development as well as regeneration. We further show that the expression of twist2/dermo1 and twist3 is regulated by Wnt signaling. Our results demonstrate that the function of twist2/dermo1 in skin appendage formation, presumably under regulation of Wnt signaling, originated during evolution of basal vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tressa Jacob
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research-Pune (IISER-Pune), Dr Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune 411008, India.
| | - Antara Chakravarty
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research-Pune (IISER-Pune), Dr Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune 411008, India
| | - Ankita Panchal
- Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat, India
| | - Manjiri Patil
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research-Pune (IISER-Pune), Dr Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune 411008, India
| | - Gautami Ghodadra
- Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat, India
| | - Jyotish Sudhakaran
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research-Pune (IISER-Pune), Dr Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune 411008, India
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10
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Valenti MT, Marchetto G, Mottes M, Dalle Carbonare L. Zebrafish: A Suitable Tool for the Study of Cell Signaling in Bone. Cells 2020; 9:E1911. [PMID: 32824602 PMCID: PMC7465296 DOI: 10.3390/cells9081911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, many studies using the zebrafish model organism have been performed. Zebrafish, providing genetic mutants and reporter transgenic lines, enable a great number of studies aiming at the investigation of signaling pathways involved in the osteoarticular system and at the identification of therapeutic tools for bone diseases. In this review, we will discuss studies which demonstrate that many signaling pathways are highly conserved between mammals and teleost and that genes involved in mammalian bone differentiation have orthologs in zebrafish. We will also discuss as human diseases, such as osteogenesis imperfecta, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and Gaucher disease can be investigated in the zebrafish model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Valenti
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Ple Scuro 10, 37100 Verona, Italy; (G.M.); (L.D.C.)
| | - Giulia Marchetto
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Ple Scuro 10, 37100 Verona, Italy; (G.M.); (L.D.C.)
| | - Monica Mottes
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37100 Verona, Italy;
| | - Luca Dalle Carbonare
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Ple Scuro 10, 37100 Verona, Italy; (G.M.); (L.D.C.)
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11
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Zhao Y, Louie KW, Tingle CF, Sha C, Heisel CJ, Unsworth SP, Kish PE, Kahana A. Twist3 is required for dedifferentiation during extraocular muscle regeneration in adult zebrafish. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231963. [PMID: 32320444 PMCID: PMC7176127 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Severely damaged adult zebrafish extraocular muscles (EOMs) regenerate through dedifferentiation of residual myocytes involving a muscle-to-mesenchyme transition. Members of the Twist family of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors (TFs) are key regulators of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and are also involved in craniofacial development in humans and animal models. During zebrafish embryogenesis, twist family members (twist1a, twist1b, twist2, and twist3) function to regulate craniofacial skeletal development. Because of their roles as master regulators of stem cell biology, we hypothesized that twist TFs regulate adult EOM repair and regeneration. In this study, utilizing an adult zebrafish EOM regeneration model, we demonstrate that inhibiting twist3 function using translation-blocking morpholino oligonucleotides (MOs) impairs muscle regeneration by reducing myocyte dedifferentiation and proliferation in the regenerating muscle. This supports our hypothesis that twist TFs are involved in the early steps of dedifferentiation and highlights the importance of twist3 during EOM regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Ke’ale W. Louie
- Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Christina F. Tingle
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Cuilee Sha
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Curtis J. Heisel
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Shelby P. Unsworth
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Phillip E. Kish
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Alon Kahana
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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12
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Rocha M, Singh N, Ahsan K, Beiriger A, Prince VE. Neural crest development: insights from the zebrafish. Dev Dyn 2019; 249:88-111. [PMID: 31591788 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of the neural crest, a key vertebrate innovation, is built upon studies of multiple model organisms. Early research on neural crest cells (NCCs) was dominated by analyses of accessible amphibian and avian embryos, with mouse genetics providing complementary insights in more recent years. The zebrafish model is a relative newcomer to the field, yet it offers unparalleled advantages for the study of NCCs. Specifically, zebrafish provide powerful genetic and transgenic tools, coupled with rapidly developing transparent embryos that are ideal for high-resolution real-time imaging of the dynamic process of neural crest development. While the broad principles of neural crest development are largely conserved across vertebrate species, there are critical differences in anatomy, morphogenesis, and genetics that must be considered before information from one model is extrapolated to another. Here, our goal is to provide the reader with a helpful primer specific to neural crest development in the zebrafish model. We focus largely on the earliest events-specification, delamination, and migration-discussing what is known about zebrafish NCC development and how it differs from NCC development in non-teleost species, as well as highlighting current gaps in knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Rocha
- Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Noor Singh
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Kamil Ahsan
- Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Anastasia Beiriger
- Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Victoria E Prince
- Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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13
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Ma RC, Jacobs CT, Sharma P, Kocha KM, Huang P. Stereotypic generation of axial tenocytes from bipartite sclerotome domains in zebrafish. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007775. [PMID: 30388110 PMCID: PMC6235400 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of a functional musculoskeletal system requires coordinated generation of muscles, bones, and tendons. However, how axial tendon cells (tenocytes) are generated during embryo development is still poorly understood. Here, we show that axial tenocytes arise from the sclerotome in zebrafish. In contrast to mouse and chick, the zebrafish sclerotome consists of two separate domains: a ventral domain and a previously undescribed dorsal domain. While dispensable for sclerotome induction, Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is required for the migration and maintenance of sclerotome derived cells. Axial tenocytes are located along the myotendinous junction (MTJ), extending long cellular processes into the intersomitic space. Using time-lapse imaging, we show that both sclerotome domains contribute to tenocytes in a dynamic and stereotypic manner. Tenocytes along a given MTJ always arise from the sclerotome of the adjacent anterior somite. Inhibition of Hh signaling results in loss of tenocytes and enhanced sensitivity to muscle detachment. Together, our work shows that axial tenocytes in zebrafish originate from the sclerotome and are essential for maintaining muscle integrity. The coordinated generation of bones, muscles and tendons at the correct time and location is critical for the development of a functional musculoskeletal system. Although it is well known that tendon is the connective tissue that attaches muscles to bones, it is still poorly understood how tendon cells, or tenocytes, are generated during embryo development. Using the zebrafish model, we identify trunk tenocytes located along the boundary of muscle segments. Using cell tracing in live animals, we find that tenocytes originate from the sclerotome, an embryonic structure that is previously known to generate the trunk skeleton. In contrast to higher vertebrates, the zebrafish sclerotome consists of two separate domains, a ventral domain and a novel dorsal domain. Both domains give rise to trunk tenocytes in a dynamic and stereotypic manner. Hedgehog (Hh) signaling, an important cell signaling pathway, is not required for sclerotome induction but essential for the generation of sclerotome derived cells. Inhibition of Hh signaling leads to loss of tenocytes and increased sensitivity to muscle detachment. Thus, our work shows that tenocytes develop from the sclerotome and play an important role in maintaining muscle integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger C. Ma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Craig T. Jacobs
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Priyanka Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Katrinka M. Kocha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Peng Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- * E-mail:
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14
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Hirsch N, Eshel R, Bar Yaacov R, Shahar T, Shmulevich F, Dahan I, Levaot N, Kaplan T, Lupiáñez DG, Birnbaum RY. Unraveling the transcriptional regulation of TWIST1 in limb development. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007738. [PMID: 30372441 PMCID: PMC6233932 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor TWIST1 plays a vital role in mesoderm development, particularly in limb and craniofacial formation. Accordingly, haploinsufficiency of TWIST1 can cause limb and craniofacial malformations as part of Saethre-Chotzen syndrome. However, the molecular basis of TWIST1 transcriptional regulation during development has yet to be elucidated. Here, we characterized active enhancers in the TWIST1-HDAC9 locus that drive transcription in the developing limb and branchial arches. Using available p300 and H3K27ac ChIP-seq data, we identified 12 enhancer candidates, located both within and outside the coding sequences of the neighboring gene, Histone deacetyase 9 (HDAC9). Using zebrafish and mouse enhancer assays, we showed that eight of these candidates have limb/fin and branchial arch enhancer activity that resemble Twist1 expression. Using 4C-seq, we showed that the Twist1 promoter region interacts with three enhancers (eTw-5, 6, 7) in the limb bud and branchial arch of mouse embryos at day 11.5. Furthermore, we found that two transcription factors, LMX1B and TFAP2, bind these enhancers and modulate their enhancer activity. Finally, using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, we showed that homozygous deletion of eTw5-7 enhancers reduced Twist1 expression in the limb bud and caused pre-axial polydactyly, a phenotype observed in Twist1+/- mice. Taken together, our findings reveal that each enhancer has a discrete activity pattern, and together comprise a spatiotemporal regulatory network of Twist1 transcription in the developing limbs/fins and branchial arches. Our study suggests that mutations in TWIST1 enhancers could lead to reduced TWIST1 expression, resulting in phenotypic outcome as seen with TWIST1 coding mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naama Hirsch
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Center for Evolutionary Genomics and Medicine, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Reut Eshel
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Center for Evolutionary Genomics and Medicine, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Reut Bar Yaacov
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Center for Evolutionary Genomics and Medicine, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Tal Shahar
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Center for Evolutionary Genomics and Medicine, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Fania Shmulevich
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Center for Evolutionary Genomics and Medicine, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Idit Dahan
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Center for Evolutionary Genomics and Medicine, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Noam Levaot
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Tommy Kaplan
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Darío G. Lupiáñez
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Medical and Human Genetics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ramon Y. Birnbaum
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Center for Evolutionary Genomics and Medicine, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- * E-mail:
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15
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Sittewelle M, Monsoro-Burq AH. AKT signaling displays multifaceted functions in neural crest development. Dev Biol 2018; 444 Suppl 1:S144-S155. [PMID: 29859890 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
AKT signaling is an essential intracellular pathway controlling cell homeostasis, cell proliferation and survival, as well as cell migration and differentiation in adults. Alterations impacting the AKT pathway are involved in many pathological conditions in human disease. Similarly, during development, multiple transmembrane molecules, such as FGF receptors, PDGF receptors or integrins, activate AKT to control embryonic cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, and also cell fate decisions. While many studies in mouse embryos have clearly implicated AKT signaling in the differentiation of several neural crest derivatives, information on AKT functions during the earliest steps of neural crest development had remained relatively scarce until recently. However, recent studies on known and novel regulators of AKT signaling demonstrate that this pathway plays critical roles throughout the development of neural crest progenitors. Non-mammalian models such as fish and frog embryos have been instrumental to our understanding of AKT functions in neural crest development, both in neural crest progenitors and in the neighboring tissues. This review combines current knowledge acquired from all these different vertebrate animal models to describe the various roles of AKT signaling related to neural crest development in vivo. We first describe the importance of AKT signaling in patterning the tissues involved in neural crest induction, namely the dorsal mesoderm and the ectoderm. We then focus on AKT signaling functions in neural crest migration and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Méghane Sittewelle
- Univ. Paris Sud, Université Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, Centre Universitaire, 15, rue Georges Clémenceau, F-91405 Orsay, France; Institut Curie Research Division, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, F-91405 Orsay, France
| | - Anne H Monsoro-Burq
- Univ. Paris Sud, Université Paris Saclay, CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, Centre Universitaire, 15, rue Georges Clémenceau, F-91405 Orsay, France; Institut Curie Research Division, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3347, INSERM U1021, F-91405 Orsay, France; Institut Universitaire de France, F-75005 Paris, France.
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16
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Askary A, Xu P, Barske L, Bay M, Bump P, Balczerski B, Bonaguidi MA, Crump JG. Genome-wide analysis of facial skeletal regionalization in zebrafish. Development 2017; 144:2994-3005. [PMID: 28705894 DOI: 10.1242/dev.151712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Patterning of the facial skeleton involves the precise deployment of thousands of genes in distinct regions of the pharyngeal arches. Despite the significance for craniofacial development, how genetic programs drive this regionalization remains incompletely understood. Here we use combinatorial labeling of zebrafish cranial neural crest-derived cells (CNCCs) to define global gene expression along the dorsoventral axis of the developing arches. Intersection of region-specific transcriptomes with expression changes in response to signaling perturbations demonstrates complex roles for Endothelin 1 (Edn1) signaling in the intermediate joint-forming region, yet a surprisingly minor role in ventralmost regions. Analysis of co-variance across multiple sequencing experiments further reveals clusters of co-regulated genes, with in situ hybridization confirming the domain-specific expression of novel genes. We then created loss-of-function alleles for 12 genes and uncovered antagonistic functions of two new Edn1 targets, follistatin a (fsta) and emx2, in regulating cartilaginous joints in the hyoid arch. Our unbiased discovery and functional analysis of genes with regional expression in zebrafish arch CNCCs reveals complex regulation by Edn1 and points to novel candidates for craniofacial disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amjad Askary
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Pengfei Xu
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Lindsey Barske
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Maxwell Bay
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Paul Bump
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Bartosz Balczerski
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Michael A Bonaguidi
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - J Gage Crump
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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17
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Stratman AN, Pezoa SA, Farrelly OM, Castranova D, Dye LE, Butler MG, Sidik H, Talbot WS, Weinstein BM. Interactions between mural cells and endothelial cells stabilize the developing zebrafish dorsal aorta. Development 2016; 144:115-127. [PMID: 27913637 DOI: 10.1242/dev.143131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Mural cells (vascular smooth muscle cells and pericytes) play an essential role in the development of the vasculature, promoting vascular quiescence and long-term vessel stabilization through their interactions with endothelial cells. However, the mechanistic details of how mural cells stabilize vessels are not fully understood. We have examined the emergence and functional role of mural cells investing the dorsal aorta during early development using the zebrafish. Consistent with previous literature, our data suggest that cells ensheathing the dorsal aorta emerge from a sub-population of cells in the adjacent sclerotome. Inhibition of mural cell recruitment to the dorsal aorta through disruption of pdgfr signaling leads to a reduced vascular basement membrane, which in turn results in enhanced dorsal aorta vessel elasticity and failure to restrict aortic diameter. Our results provide direct in vivo evidence for a functional role for mural cells in patterning and stabilization of the early vasculature through production and maintenance of the vascular basement membrane to prevent abnormal aortic expansion and elasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber N Stratman
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sofia A Pezoa
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Olivia M Farrelly
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Daniel Castranova
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Louis E Dye
- Microscopy & Imaging Core, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Matthew G Butler
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Harwin Sidik
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - William S Talbot
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Brant M Weinstein
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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18
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Rodriguez Y, Gonzalez-Mendez RR, Cadilla CL. Evolution of the Twist Subfamily Vertebrate Proteins: Discovery of a Signature Motif and Origin of the Twist1 Glycine-Rich Motifs in the Amino-Terminus Disordered Domain. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161029. [PMID: 27556926 PMCID: PMC4996418 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Twist proteins belong to the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of multifunctional transcriptional factors. These factors are known to use domains other than the common bHLH in protein-protein interactions. There has been much work characterizing the bHLH domain and the C-terminus in protein-protein interactions but despite a few attempts more focus is needed at the N-terminus. Since the region of highest diversity in Twist proteins is the N-terminus, we analyzed the conservation of this region in different vertebrate Twist proteins and study the sequence differences between Twist1 and Twist2 with emphasis on the glycine-rich regions found in Twist1. We found a highly conserved sequence motif in all Twist1 (SSSPVSPADDSLSNSEEE) and Twist2 (SSSPVSPVDSLGTSEEE) mammalian species with unknown function. Through sequence comparison we demonstrate that the Twist protein family ancestor was “Twist2-like” and the two glycine-rich regions found in Twist1 sequences were acquired late in evolution, apparently not at the same time. The second glycine-rich region started developing first in the fish vertebrate group, while the first glycine region arose afterwards within the reptiles. Disordered domain and secondary structure predictions showed that the amino acid sequence and disorder feature found at the N-terminus is highly evolutionary conserved and could be a functional site that interacts with other proteins. Detailed examination of the glycine-rich regions in the N-terminus of Twist1 demonstrate that the first region is completely aliphatic while the second region contains some polar residues that could be subject to post-translational modification. Phylogenetic and sequence space analysis showed that the Twist1 subfamily is the result of a gene duplication during Twist2 vertebrate fish evolution, and has undergone more evolutionary drift than Twist2. We identified a new signature motif that is characteristic of each Twist paralog and identified important residues within this motif that can be used to distinguish between these two paralogs, which will help reduce Twist1 and Twist2 sequence annotation errors in public databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yacidzohara Rodriguez
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Ricardo R. Gonzalez-Mendez
- Department of Radiological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Carmen L. Cadilla
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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19
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Lauri A, Brunet T, Handberg-Thorsager M, Fischer AHL, Simakov O, Steinmetz PRH, Tomer R, Keller PJ, Arendt D. Development of the annelid axochord: insights into notochord evolution. Science 2014; 345:1365-8. [PMID: 25214631 DOI: 10.1126/science.1253396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The origin of chordates has been debated for more than a century, with one key issue being the emergence of the notochord. In vertebrates, the notochord develops by convergence and extension of the chordamesoderm, a population of midline cells of unique molecular identity. We identify a population of mesodermal cells in a developing invertebrate, the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii, that converges and extends toward the midline and expresses a notochord-specific combination of genes. These cells differentiate into a longitudinal muscle, the axochord, that is positioned between central nervous system and axial blood vessel and secretes a strong collagenous extracellular matrix. Ancestral state reconstruction suggests that contractile mesodermal midline cells existed in bilaterian ancestors. We propose that these cells, via vacuolization and stiffening, gave rise to the chordate notochord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Lauri
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), D-69117 Heidelberg
| | - Thibaut Brunet
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), D-69117 Heidelberg
| | - Mette Handberg-Thorsager
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), D-69117 Heidelberg. Janelia Farm Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Antje H L Fischer
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), D-69117 Heidelberg
| | - Oleg Simakov
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), D-69117 Heidelberg
| | - Patrick R H Steinmetz
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), D-69117 Heidelberg
| | - Raju Tomer
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), D-69117 Heidelberg. Janelia Farm Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Philipp J Keller
- Janelia Farm Research Campus, 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Detlev Arendt
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), D-69117 Heidelberg. Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
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20
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Pfeifer K, Schaub C, Wolfstetter G, Dorresteijn A. Identification and characterization of a twist ortholog in the polychaete annelid Platynereis dumerilii reveals mesodermal expression of Pdu-twist. Dev Genes Evol 2013; 223:319-28. [PMID: 23817621 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-013-0448-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Accepted: 06/11/2013] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor twist plays a key role during mesoderm development in Bilateria. In this study, we identified a twist ortholog in the polychaete annelid Platynereis dumerilii and analyze its expression during larval development, postlarval growth up to the adult stage, and caudal regeneration after amputation of posterior segments. At late larval stages, Pdu-twist is expressed in the mesodermal anlagen and in developing muscles. During adulthood and caudal regeneration, Pdu-twist is expressed in the posterior growth zone, in mesodermal cells within the newly forming segments and budding parapodia. Our results indicate that Pdu-twist is involved in mesoderm formation during larval development, posterior growth, and caudal regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Pfeifer
- Institut für Allgemeine und Spezielle Zoologie, Allgemeine Zoologie und Entwicklungsbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Germany
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21
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Bohnsack BL, Kahana A. Thyroid hormone and retinoic acid interact to regulate zebrafish craniofacial neural crest development. Dev Biol 2013; 373:300-9. [PMID: 23165295 PMCID: PMC3534885 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2012] [Revised: 11/07/2012] [Accepted: 11/08/2012] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Craniofacial and ocular morphogenesis require proper regulation of cranial neural crest migration, proliferation, survival and differentiation. Although alterations in maternal thyroid hormone (TH) are associated with congenital craniofacial anomalies, the role of TH on the neural crest has not been previously described. Using zebrafish, we demonstrate that pharmacologic and genetic alterations in TH signaling disrupt cranial neural crest migration, proliferation, and survival, leading to craniofacial, extraocular muscle, and ocular developmental abnormalities. In the rostral cranial neural crest that gives rise to the periocular mesenchyme and the frontonasal process, retinoic acid (RA) rescued migratory defects induced by decreased TH signaling. In the caudal cranial neural crest, TH and RA had reciprocal effects on anterior and posterior pharyngeal arch development. The interactions between TH and RA signaling were partially mediated by the retinoid X receptor. We conclude that TH regulates both rostral and caudal cranial neural crest. Further, coordinated interactions of TH and RA are required for proper craniofacial and ocular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda L. Bohnsack
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI
| | - Alon Kahana
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI
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22
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Kragl M, Roensch K, Nüsslein I, Tazaki A, Taniguchi Y, Tarui H, Hayashi T, Agata K, Tanaka EM. Muscle and connective tissue progenitor populations show distinct Twist1 and Twist3 expression profiles during axolotl limb regeneration. Dev Biol 2012; 373:196-204. [PMID: 23103585 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2012] [Revised: 10/16/2012] [Accepted: 10/16/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Limb regeneration involves re-establishing a limb development program from cells within adult tissues. Identifying molecular handles that provide insight into the relationship between cell differentiation status and cell lineage is an important step to study limb blastema cell formation. Here, using single cell PCR, focusing on newly isolated Twist1 sequences, we molecularly profile axolotl limb blastema cells using several progenitor cell markers. We link their molecular expression profile to their embryonic lineage via cell tracking experiments. We use in situ hybridization to determine the spatial localization and extent of overlap of different markers and cell types. Finally, we show by single cell PCR that the mature axolotl limb harbors a small but significant population of Twist1(+) cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Kragl
- Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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23
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Cox SG, Kim H, Garnett AT, Medeiros DM, An W, Crump JG. An essential role of variant histone H3.3 for ectomesenchyme potential of the cranial neural crest. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1002938. [PMID: 23028350 PMCID: PMC3447937 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2012] [Accepted: 07/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural crest (NC) is a vertebrate-specific cell population that exhibits remarkable multipotency. Although derived from the neural plate border (NPB) ectoderm, cranial NC (CNC) cells contribute not only to the peripheral nervous system but also to the ectomesenchymal precursors of the head skeleton. To date, the developmental basis for such broad potential has remained elusive. Here, we show that the replacement histone H3.3 is essential during early CNC development for these cells to generate ectomesenchyme and head pigment precursors. In a forward genetic screen in zebrafish, we identified a dominant D123N mutation in h3f3a, one of five zebrafish variant histone H3.3 genes, that eliminates the CNC–derived head skeleton and a subset of pigment cells yet leaves other CNC derivatives and trunk NC intact. Analyses of nucleosome assembly indicate that mutant D123N H3.3 interferes with H3.3 nucleosomal incorporation by forming aberrant H3 homodimers. Consistent with CNC defects arising from insufficient H3.3 incorporation into chromatin, supplying exogenous wild-type H3.3 rescues head skeletal development in mutants. Surprisingly, embryo-wide expression of dominant mutant H3.3 had little effect on embryonic development outside CNC, indicating an unexpectedly specific sensitivity of CNC to defects in H3.3 incorporation. Whereas previous studies had implicated H3.3 in large-scale histone replacement events that generate totipotency during germ line development, our work has revealed an additional role of H3.3 in the broad potential of the ectoderm-derived CNC, including the ability to make the mesoderm-like ectomesenchymal precursors of the head skeleton. The evolution of the vertebrate head was made possible in large part by the emergence of a new cell population, the cranial neural crest. These cells contribute to diverse structures of the head, including most of the skull, yet how neural crest cells acquire such broad potential during development has remained a mystery. By studying mutant zebrafish that lack the neural-crest-derived skull, we find that the unusual potential of these cells depends on an “H3.3” version of one of the histone proteins that package their DNA. We propose then that a dramatic change in the packaging of DNA is a key step in allowing crest cells to make a wide range of new cell types in the vertebrate head.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel G. Cox
- Department of Cell and Neurobiology, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Hyunjung Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Aaron Timothy Garnett
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Daniel Meulemans Medeiros
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Woojin An
- Department of Biochemistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - J. Gage Crump
- Department of Cell and Neurobiology, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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24
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Das A, Crump JG. Bmps and id2a act upstream of Twist1 to restrict ectomesenchyme potential of the cranial neural crest. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1002710. [PMID: 22589745 PMCID: PMC3349740 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2011] [Accepted: 03/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cranial neural crest cells (CNCCs) have the remarkable capacity to generate both the non-ectomesenchyme derivatives of the peripheral nervous system and the ectomesenchyme precursors of the vertebrate head skeleton, yet how these divergent lineages are specified is not well understood. Whereas studies in mouse have indicated that the Twist1 transcription factor is important for ectomesenchyme development, its role and regulation during CNCC lineage decisions have remained unclear. Here we show that two Twist1 genes play an essential role in promoting ectomesenchyme at the expense of non-ectomesenchyme gene expression in zebrafish. Twist1 does so by promoting Fgf signaling, as well as potentially directly activating fli1a expression through a conserved ectomesenchyme-specific enhancer. We also show that Id2a restricts Twist1 activity to the ectomesenchyme lineage, with Bmp activity preferentially inducing id2a expression in non-ectomesenchyme precursors. We therefore propose that the ventral migration of CNCCs away from a source of Bmps in the dorsal ectoderm promotes ectomesenchyme development by relieving Id2a-dependent repression of Twist1 function. Together our model shows how the integration of Bmp inhibition at its origin and Fgf activation along its migratory route would confer temporal and spatial specificity to the generation of ectomesenchyme from the neural crest.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - J. Gage Crump
- Broad CIRM Center, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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25
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Nairismägi ML, Vislovukh A, Meng Q, Kratassiouk G, Beldiman C, Petretich M, Groisman R, Füchtbauer EM, Harel-Bellan A, Groisman I. Translational control of TWIST1 expression in MCF-10A cell lines recapitulating breast cancer progression. Oncogene 2012; 31:4960-6. [PMID: 22266852 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2011.650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
TWIST1 is a highly conserved basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Its misregulation has been observed in various types of tumors. Using the MCF-10A-series of cell lines that recapitulate the early stages of breast cancer formation and EMT, we found TWIST1 to be upregulated during EMT and downregulated early in carcinogenesis. The TWIST1 3'UTR contains putative regulatory elements, including miRNA target sites and two cytoplasmic polyadenylation elements (CPE). We found that miR-580, CPEB1, and CPEB2 act as negative regulators of TWIST1 expression in a sequence-specific and additive/cooperative manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- M-L Nairismägi
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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26
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Twist controls skeletal development and dorsoventral patterning by regulating runx2 in zebrafish. PLoS One 2011; 6:e27324. [PMID: 22087291 PMCID: PMC3210159 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2010] [Accepted: 10/13/2011] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Twist1a and twist1b are the principal components of twists that negatively regulate a number of cellular signaling events. Expression of runx2 and downstream targets is essential for skeletal development and ventral organizer formation and specification in early vertebrate embryos, but what controls ventral activity of maternal runx2 and how twists function in zebrafish embryogenesis still remain unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings By studying the loss of twist induced by injection of morpholino-oligonucleotide in zebrafish, we found that twist1a and twist1b, but not twist2 or twist3, were required for proper skeletal development and dorsoventral patterning in early embryos. Overexpression of twist1a or twist1b following mRNA injection resulted in deteriorated skeletal development and formation of typical dorsalized embryos, whereas knockdown of twist1a and twist1b led to the formation of abnormal embryos with enhanced skeletal formation and typical ventralized patterning. Overexpression of twist1a or twist1b decreased the expression of runx2b, whereas twist1a and twist1b knockdown increased runx2b expression. We have further demonstrated that phenotypes induced by twist1a and twist1b knockdown were rescued by runx2b knockdown. Conclusions/Significance Together, these results suggest that twist1a and twist1b control skeletal development and dorsoventral patterning by regulating runx2b in zebrafish and provide potential targets for the treatment of diseases or syndromes associated with decreased skeletal development.
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27
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Carboxypeptidase A6 in zebrafish development and implications for VIth cranial nerve pathfinding. PLoS One 2010; 5:e12967. [PMID: 20885977 PMCID: PMC2945764 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0012967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2010] [Accepted: 09/03/2010] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Carboxypeptidase A6 (CPA6) is an extracellular protease that cleaves carboxy-terminal hydrophobic amino acids and has been implicated in the defective innervation of the lateral rectus muscle by the VIth cranial nerve in Duane syndrome. In order to investigate the role of CPA6 in development, in particular its potential role in axon guidance, the zebrafish ortholog was identified and cloned. Zebrafish CPA6 was secreted and interacted with the extracellular matrix where it had a neutral pH optimum and specificity for C-terminal hydrophobic amino acids. Transient mRNA expression was found in newly formed somites, pectoral fin buds, the stomodeum and a conspicuous condensation posterior to the eye. Markers showed this tissue was not myogenic in nature. Rather, the CPA6 localization overlapped with a chondrogenic site which subsequently forms the walls of a myodome surrounding the lateral rectus muscle. No other zebrafish CPA gene exhibited a similar expression profile. Morpholino-mediated knockdown of CPA6 combined with retrograde labeling and horizontal eye movement analyses demonstrated that deficiency of CPA6 alone did not affect either VIth nerve development or function in the zebrafish. We suggest that mutations in other genes and/or enhancer elements, together with defective CPA6 expression, may be required for altered VIth nerve pathfinding. If mutations in CPA6 contribute to Duane syndrome, our results also suggest that Duane syndrome can be a chondrogenic rather than a myogenic or neurogenic developmental disorder.
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28
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Duband JL. Diversity in the molecular and cellular strategies of epithelium-to-mesenchyme transitions: Insights from the neural crest. Cell Adh Migr 2010; 4:458-82. [PMID: 20559020 DOI: 10.4161/cam.4.3.12501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although epithelial to mesenchymal transitions (EMT) are often viewed as a unique event, they are characterized by a great diversity of cellular processes resulting in strikingly different outcomes. They may be complete or partial, massive or progressive, and lead to the complete disruption of the epithelium or leave it intact. Although the molecular and cellular mechanisms of EMT are being elucidated owing chiefly from studies on transformed epithelial cell lines cultured in vitro or from cancer cells, the basis of the diversity of EMT processes remains poorly understood. Clues can be collected from EMT occuring during embryonic development and which affect equally tissues of ectodermal, endodermal or mesodermal origins. Here, based on our current knowledge of the diversity of processes underlying EMT of neural crest cells in the vertebrate embryo, we propose that the time course and extent of EMT do not depend merely on the identity of the EMT transcriptional regulators and their cellular effectors but rather on the combination of molecular players recruited and on the possible coordination of EMT with other cellular processes.
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30
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Zhang G. An evo-devo view on the origin of the backbone: evolutionary development of the vertebrae. Integr Comp Biol 2009; 49:178-86. [PMID: 21669856 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icp061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertebral columns are a group of diverse axial structures that define the vertebrates and provide supportive, locomotive, protective, and other important functions. The embryonic origin of the first vertebral element in this subphylum, the lamprey arcualia, has remained a puzzle for more than a century although much developmental and genetic progress has been made. The comparative approach is a very powerful tool for studying vertebrate morphological variation and understanding how the novel structures were generated during evolution. Here, I first briefly describe the vertebral structures and their developmental processes in major taxa, and then analyze the most recently published data on the basal vertebrates. Finally, an ontogenetic and phylogenetic origin is proposed. The lamprey may have already evolved a sclerotome, which gave rise to arcualia ontogenetically; whole genome duplications likely promoted the establishment of sclerotomal core genetic program by gene co-options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangjun Zhang
- The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, E17-336, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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31
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Phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships and developmental expression patterns of the zebrafish twist gene family. Dev Genes Evol 2009; 219:289-300. [PMID: 19565261 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-009-0290-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2009] [Accepted: 04/30/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Four members of the twist gene family (twist1a, 1b, 2, and 3) are found in the zebrafish, and they are thought to have arisen through three rounds of gene duplication, two of which occurred prior to the tetrapod-fish split. Phylogenetic analysis groups most of the vertebrate Twist1 peptides into clade I, except for the Twist1b proteins of the acanthopterygian fish (medaka, pufferfish, stickleback), which clustered within clade III. Paralogies and orthologies among the zebrafish, medaka, and human twist genes were determined using comparative synteny analysis of the chromosomal regions flanking these genes. Comparative nucleotide substitution analyses also revealed a faster rate of nucleotide mutation/substitution in the acanthopterygian twist1b compared to the zebrafish twist1b, thus accounting for their anomalous phylogenetic clustering. We also observed minimal expression overlap among the four twist genes, suggesting that despite their significant peptide similarity, their regulatory controls have diverged considerably, with minimal functional redundancy between them.
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32
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Wang Y, Chen K, Yao Q, Zheng X, Yang Z. Phylogenetic analysis of zebrafish basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors. J Mol Evol 2009; 68:629-40. [PMID: 19449054 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-009-9232-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2008] [Revised: 03/07/2009] [Accepted: 04/03/2009] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins play important regulatory roles in eukaryotic developmental processes including neurogenesis, myogenesis, hematopoiesis, sex determination, and gut development. Zebrafish is a good model organism for developmental biology. In this study, we identified 139 bHLH genes encoded in the zebrafish genome. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that zebrafish has 58, 29, 21, 5, 19, and 5 bHLH members in groups A, B, C, D, E, and F, respectively, while 2 members were classified as "orphan." A comparison between zebrafish and human bHLH repertoires suggested that both organisms have a certain number of specific bHLH members. Eight zebrafish bHLH genes were found to have multiple coding regions in the genome. Two of these, Bmal1 and MITF, are good anchor genes for identification of fish-specific whole-genome duplication events in comparison with mouse and chicken genomes. The present study provides useful information for future studies on gene family evolution and vertebrate development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Wang
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China.
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33
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Chong SW, Korzh V, Jiang YJ. Myogenesis and molecules - insights from zebrafish Danio rerio. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2009; 74:1693-1755. [PMID: 20735668 DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2009.02174.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Myogenesis is a fundamental process governing the formation of muscle in multicellular organisms. Recent studies in zebrafish Danio rerio have described the molecular events occurring during embryonic morphogenesis and have thus greatly clarified this process, helping to distinguish between the events that give rise to fast v. slow muscle. Coupled with the well-known Hedgehog signalling cascade and a wide variety of cellular processes during early development, the continual research on D. rerio slow muscle precursors has provided novel insights into their cellular behaviours in this organism. Similarly, analyses on fast muscle precursors have provided knowledge of the behaviour of a sub-set of epitheloid cells residing in the anterior domain of somites. Additionally, the findings by various groups on the roles of several molecules in somitic myogenesis have been clarified in the past year. In this study, the authors briefly review the current trends in the field of research of D. rerio trunk myogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- S-W Chong
- Laboratory of Developmental Signalling and Patterning, Genes and Development Division, A STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Singapore.
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34
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Strizzi L, Postovit LM, Margaryan NV, Seftor EA, Abbott DE, Seftor REB, Salomon DS, Hendrix MJC. Emerging roles of nodal and Cripto-1: from embryogenesis to breast cancer progression. Breast Dis 2009; 29:91-103. [PMID: 19029628 DOI: 10.3233/bd-2008-29110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Breast carcinoma cells and embryonic progenitors similarly implement stem cell-associated signaling pathways to sustain continued growth and plasticity. Indeed, recent studies have implicated signaling pathways, including those associated with the Notch, and Transforming Growth Factor-Beta (TGF-beta) superfamilies, as instrumental to both embryological development and breast cancer progression. In particular, Nodal, an embryonic morphogen belonging to the TGF-beta superfamily, and its co-receptor, Cripto-1, are requisite to both embryogenesis and mammary gland maturation. Moreover, these developmental proteins have been shown to promote breast cancer progression. Here, we review the role of Nodal and its co-receptor Cripto-1 during development and we describe how this signaling pathway may be involved in breast cancer tumorigenesis. Moreover, we emphasize the potential utility of this signaling pathway as a novel target for the treatment and diagnosis of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Strizzi
- Children's Memorial Research Center, Cancer Biology and Epigenomics Program, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
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35
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Baxendale S, Chen CK, Tang H, Davison C, Hateren LV, Croning MD, Humphray SJ, Hubbard SJ, Ingham PW. Expression screening and annotation of a zebrafish myoblast cDNA library. Gene Expr Patterns 2009; 9:73-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2008.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2008] [Revised: 10/13/2008] [Accepted: 10/19/2008] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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36
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Nikitina NV, Bronner-Fraser M. Gene regulatory networks that control the specification of neural-crest cells in the lamprey. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2008; 1789:274-8. [PMID: 18420040 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2008.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2008] [Revised: 03/04/2008] [Accepted: 03/18/2008] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The lamprey is the only basal vertebrate in which large-scale gene perturbation analyses are feasible at present. Studies on this unique animal model promise to contribute both to the understanding of the basic neural-crest gene regulatory network architecture, and evolution of the neural crest. In this review, we summarize the currently known regulatory relationships underlying formation of the vertebrate neural crest, and discuss new ways of addressing the many remaining questions using lamprey as an experimental model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya V Nikitina
- Division of Biology, 139-74 Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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37
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Yeo GH, Cheah FSH, Jabs EW, Chong SS. Zebrafish twist1 is expressed in craniofacial, vertebral, and renal precursors. Dev Genes Evol 2007; 217:783-9. [PMID: 17929053 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-007-0187-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2007] [Accepted: 09/18/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
TWIST1 encodes a transcription factor that contains a highly conserved basic helix-loop-helix DNA-binding domain and a WR motif. We have isolated a full-length complementary DNA of the zebrafish ortholog of TWIST1 and determined its genomic organization. Inter-species comparisons reveal a remarkable degree of conservation at the gene structure, nucleotide, and predicted peptide levels across large evolutionary distances. Using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis and in situ hybridization analyses of whole mount and cryosectioned zebrafish embryos, we detected maternal twist1 transcript in the zygote. During somitogenesis, twist1 transcripts were detected in the intermediate mesoderm from the 2-somite to 18-somite stages, followed by expression in the somites from the 5-somite stage to the 24-somite stage. Also, beginning at the two-somite stage, twist1 expression was observed in head mesenchyme and, subsequently, in neural crest-derived pharyngeal arches as the embryo developed. At the 24-hpf stage, twist1 transcripts were also observed in the ventral tail-bud region. These observations are consistent with a role for twist1 in craniofacial, vertebral, and early renal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gare-Hoon Yeo
- Department of Pediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074, Singapore
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38
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Recent Papers on Zebrafish and Other Aquarium Fish Models. Zebrafish 2007. [DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2007.9983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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39
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Gitelman I. Evolution of the vertebrate twist family and synfunctionalization: a mechanism for differential gene loss through merging of expression domains. Mol Biol Evol 2007; 24:1912-25. [PMID: 17567594 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msm120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Twist genes are essential for embryonic development and are conserved from jellyfish to human. To study the vertebrate twist family and its evolution, the entire complement of twist genes was obtained for 9 representative species. Phylogenetic analysis showed that a single protochordate twist gene was duplicated at least twice before the teleost-tetrapod split to give rise to 3 ancestral genes, which were further duplicated or deleted, resulting in fluctuating number of twist paralogs in different vertebrate lineages. To find whether changes in gene copy number were associated with changes in gene function, embryonic expression patterns of twist orthologs were evaluated against the number of twist paralogs in different species. The results showed evidence for both neo- and subfunctionalization, and, in addition, for loss of an ancestral regulatory gene. For example, in Xenopus, twist2 was lost, but the twist1 paralog acquired, and therefore preserved, twist2 function. A general model is proposed to explain the data. In this process, termed synfunctionalization, one paralog acquires the expression domain(s) of another. The merging may lead to function shuffle. Alternatively, it may leave one paralog redundant and thus subject to deletion--while its function is retained by the surviving paralog(s). Synfunctionalization is a mechanism that, together with neo- and subfunctionalization, may work to establish equilibrium in the number of genes that regulate developmental processes; it may regulate the complexity of regulatory regions as well as gene copy number and therefore may play a role in evolution of gene function and the structure of genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inna Gitelman
- Department of Virology and Developmental Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel.
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