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Yamakawa S, Yamazaki A, Morino Y, Wada H. Early expression onset of tissue-specific effector genes during the specification process in sea urchin embryos. EvoDevo 2023; 14:7. [PMID: 37101206 PMCID: PMC10131483 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-023-00210-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the course of animal developmental processes, various tissues are differentiated through complex interactions within the gene regulatory network. As a general concept, differentiation has been considered to be the endpoint of specification processes. Previous works followed this view and provided a genetic control scheme of differentiation in sea urchin embryos: early specification genes generate distinct regulatory territories in an embryo to express a small set of differentiation driver genes; these genes eventually stimulate the expression of tissue-specific effector genes, which provide biological identity to differentiated cells, in each region. However, some tissue-specific effector genes begin to be expressed in parallel with the expression onset of early specification genes, raising questions about the simplistic regulatory scheme of tissue-specific effector gene expression and the current concept of differentiation itself. RESULTS Here, we examined the dynamics of effector gene expression patterns during sea urchin embryogenesis. Our transcriptome-based analysis indicated that many tissue-specific effector genes begin to be expressed and accumulated along with the advancing specification GRN in the distinct cell lineages of embryos. Moreover, we found that the expression of some of the tissue-specific effector genes commences before cell lineage segregation occurs. CONCLUSIONS Based on this finding, we propose that the expression onset of tissue-specific effector genes is controlled more dynamically than suggested in the previously proposed simplistic regulation scheme. Thus, we suggest that differentiation should be conceptualized as a seamless process of accumulation of effector expression along with the advancing specification GRN. This pattern of effector gene expression may have interesting implications for the evolution of novel cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumpei Yamakawa
- Institute of Zoology and Evolutionary Research, Friedrich-Shiller University Jena, Erbertstraße 1, 07747, Jena, Germany.
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan.
| | - Atsuko Yamazaki
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Morino
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Wada
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan
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Konrad KD, Song JL. microRNA-124 regulates Notch and NeuroD1 to mediate transition states of neuronal development. Dev Neurobiol 2023; 83:3-27. [PMID: 36336988 PMCID: PMC10440801 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs regulate gene expression by destabilizing target mRNA and/or inhibiting translation in animal cells. The ability to mechanistically dissect miR-124's function during specification, differentiation, and maturation of neurons during development within a single system has not been accomplished. Using the sea urchin embryo, we take advantage of the manipulability of the embryo and its well-documented gene regulatory networks (GRNs). We incorporated NeuroD1 as part of the sea urchin neuronal GRN and determined that miR-124 inhibition resulted in aberrant gut contractions, swimming velocity, and neuronal development. Inhibition of miR-124 resulted in an increased number of cells expressing transcription factors (TFs) associated with progenitor neurons and a concurrent decrease of mature and functional neurons. Results revealed that in the early blastula/gastrula stages, miR-124 regulates undefined factors during neuronal specification and differentiation. In the late gastrula/larval stages, miR-124 regulates Notch and NeuroD1 during the transition between neuronal differentiation and maturation. Overall, we have improved the neuronal GRN and identified miR-124 to play a prolific role in regulating various transitions of neuronal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalin D Konrad
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Jia L Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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Yamazaki A, Morino Y, Urata M, Yamaguchi M, Minokawa T, Furukawa R, Kondo M, Wada H. pmar1/ phb homeobox genes and the evolution of the double-negative gate for endomesoderm specification in echinoderms. Development 2020; 147:dev.182139. [PMID: 32001441 DOI: 10.1242/dev.182139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In several model animals, the earliest phases of embryogenesis are regulated by lineage-specific genes, such as Drosophila bicoid Sea urchin (echinoid) embryogenesis is initiated by zygotic expression of pmar1, a paired-class homeobox gene that has been considered to be present only in the lineage of modern urchins (euechinoids). In euechinoids, Pmar1 promotes endomesoderm specification by repressing the hairy and enhancer of split C (hesC) gene. Here, we have identified the basal echinoid (cidaroid) pmar1 gene, which also promotes endomesoderm specification but not by repressing hesC A further search for related genes demonstrated that other echinoderms have pmar1-related genes named phb Functional analyses of starfish Phb proteins indicated that, similar to cidaroid Pmar1, they promote activation of endomesoderm regulatory gene orthologs via an unknown repressor that is not HesC. Based on these results, we propose that Pmar1 may have recapitulated the regulatory function of Phb during the early diversification of echinoids and that the additional repressor HesC was placed under the control of Pmar1 in the euechinoid lineage. This case provides an exceptional model for understanding how early developmental processes diverge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuko Yamazaki
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Morino
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
| | - Makoto Urata
- Noto Marine Laboratory, Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, Ogi, Noto-cho, Ishikawa 927-0553, Japan.,Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Masaaki Yamaguchi
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
| | - Takuya Minokawa
- Research Center for Marine Biology, Tohoku University, Sakamoto 9, Asamushi, Aomori 039-3501, Japan
| | - Ryohei Furukawa
- Department of Biology, Research and Education Center for Natural Sciences, Keio University, Hiyoshi, Kouhoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8521, Japan
| | - Mariko Kondo
- Misaki Marine Biological Station, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 1024 Koajiro, Misaki, Miura, Kanagawa 238-0225, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Wada
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan
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Sampilo NF, Stepicheva NA, Zaidi SAM, Wang L, Wu W, Wikramanayake A, Song JL. Inhibition of microRNA suppression of Dishevelled results in Wnt pathway-associated developmental defects in sea urchin. Development 2018; 145:dev167130. [PMID: 30389855 PMCID: PMC6288383 DOI: 10.1242/dev.167130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved, small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expressions by binding to the 3' untranslated region of target mRNAs thereby silencing translation. Some miRNAs are key regulators of the Wnt signaling pathways, which impact developmental processes. This study investigates miRNA regulation of different isoforms of Dishevelled (Dvl/Dsh), which encode a key component in the Wnt signaling pathway. The sea urchin Dvl mRNA isoforms have similar spatial distribution in early development, but one isoform is distinctively expressed in the larval ciliary band. We demonstrated that Dvl isoforms are directly suppressed by miRNAs. By blocking miRNA suppression of Dvl isoforms, we observed dose-dependent defects in spicule length, patterning of the primary mesenchyme cells, gut morphology, and cilia. These defects likely result from increased Dvl protein levels, leading to perturbation of Wnt-dependent signaling pathways and additional Dvl-mediated processes. We further demonstrated that overexpression of Dvl isoforms recapitulated some of the Dvl miRNATP-induced phenotypes. Overall, our results indicate that miRNA suppression of Dvl isoforms plays an important role in ensuring proper development and function of primary mesenchyme cells and cilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Faye Sampilo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Nadezda A Stepicheva
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | | | - Lingyu Wang
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA
| | | | - Jia L Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
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Jiang Y, Han K, Cai M, Wang Y, Zhang Z. Characterization and Spatiotemporal Expression of Klf4 in Large Yellow Croaker Larimichthys crocea. DNA Cell Biol 2017; 36:655-671. [DOI: 10.1089/dna.2017.3663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yonghua Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Large Yellow Croaker Breeding, Ningde Fufa Fisheries Company Ltd., Ningde, China
| | - Kunhuang Han
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Large Yellow Croaker Breeding, Ningde Fufa Fisheries Company Ltd., Ningde, China
| | - Mingyi Cai
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yilei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Large Yellow Croaker Breeding, Ningde Fufa Fisheries Company Ltd., Ningde, China
| | - Ziping Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Large Yellow Croaker Breeding, Ningde Fufa Fisheries Company Ltd., Ningde, China
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Katow H. Mechanisms of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in sea urchin embryos. Tissue Barriers 2015; 3:e1059004. [PMID: 26716069 PMCID: PMC4681286 DOI: 10.1080/21688370.2015.1059004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Revised: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea urchin mesenchyme is composed of the large micromere-derived spiculogenetic primary mesenchyme cells (PMC), veg2-tier macromere-derived non-spiculogenetic mesenchyme cells, the small micromere-derived germ cells, and the macro- and mesomere-derived neuronal mesenchyme cells. They are formed through the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and possess multipotency, except PMCs that solely differentiate larval spicules. The process of EMT is associated with modification of epithelial cell surface property that includes loss of affinity to the apical and basal extracellular matrices, inter-epithelial cell adherens junctions and epithelial cell surface-specific proteins. These cell surface structures and molecules are endocytosed during EMT and utilized as initiators of cytoplasmic signaling pathways that often initiate protein phosphorylation to activate the gene regulatory networks. Acquisition of cell motility after EMT in these mesenchyme cells is associated with the expression of proteins such as Lefty, Snail and Seawi. Structural simplicity and genomic database of this model will further promote detailed EMT research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideki Katow
- Research Center for Marine Biology; Tohoku University; Asamushi, Aomori, Japan
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Gao Y, Cao Q, Lu L, Zhang X, Zhang Z, Dong X, Jia W, Cao Y. Kruppel-like factor family genes are expressed during Xenopus embryogenesis and involved in germ layer formation and body axis patterning. Dev Dyn 2015. [PMID: 26198170 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Kruppel-like factors (Klfs) are a family of transcription factors consisting of 17 members in mammals, Klf1-Klf17, which are involved in fundamental cellular physiological procedures, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. However, their functions in embryonic development have been poorly understood. Our previous study has demonstrated that the pluripotency factor Klf4 participates in germ layer formation and axis patterning of Xenopus embryos by means of the regulation of key developmental signals. In the present study, we further investigated comprehensively the expression and functions of the klf family genes, klf2, klf5, klf6, klf7, klf8, klf11, klf15, and klf17, during the embryogenesis of Xenopus laevis. RESULTS Spatio-temporal expression analyses demonstrate that these genes are transcribed both maternally and zygotically in Xenopus embryos, and during organogenesis and tissue differentiation, they are localized to a variety of placodes and tissues. Gain and loss of function studies manifest that Klf factors play different roles in germ layer formation and body axis patterning. Moreover, each Klf factor exhibits distinct regulatory effects on the expression of genes that are essential for germ layer formation and body axis patterning. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that Klf factors are involved in the fine-tuning of these genes during early embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Gao
- Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Pukou High-Tech Zone, Nanjing, China
| | - Qing Cao
- Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Pukou High-Tech Zone, Nanjing, China
| | - Lei Lu
- Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Pukou High-Tech Zone, Nanjing, China
| | - Xuena Zhang
- Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Pukou High-Tech Zone, Nanjing, China
| | - Zan Zhang
- Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Pukou High-Tech Zone, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaohua Dong
- Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Pukou High-Tech Zone, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenshuang Jia
- Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Pukou High-Tech Zone, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying Cao
- Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Pukou High-Tech Zone, Nanjing, China
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Calestani C, Rogers DJ. Cis-regulatory analysis of the sea urchin pigment cell gene polyketide synthase. Dev Biol 2010; 340:249-55. [PMID: 20122918 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2009] [Revised: 01/21/2010] [Accepted: 01/22/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The Strongylocentrotus purpuratus polyketide synthase gene (SpPks) encodes an enzyme required for the biosynthesis of the larval pigment echinochrome. SpPks is expressed exclusively in pigment cells and their precursors starting at blastula stage. The 7th-9th cleavage Delta-Notch signaling, required for pigment cell development, positively regulates SpPks. In previous studies, the transcription factors glial cell missing (SpGcm), SpGatae and kruppel-like (SpKrl/z13) have been shown to positively regulate SpPks. To uncover the structure of the Gene Regulatory Network (GRN) regulating the specification and differentiation processes of pigment cells, we experimentally analyzed the putative SpPks cis-regulatory region. We established that the -1.5kb region is sufficient to recapitulate the correct spatial and temporal expression of SpPks. Predicted DNA-binding sites for SpGcm, SpGataE and SpKrl are located within this region. The mutagenesis of these DNA-binding sites indicated that SpGcm, SpGataE and SpKrl are direct positive regulators of SpPks. These results demonstrate that the sea urchin GRN for pigment cell development is quite shallow, which is typical of type I embryo development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Calestani
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.
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Peter IS, Davidson EH. The endoderm gene regulatory network in sea urchin embryos up to mid-blastula stage. Dev Biol 2009; 340:188-99. [PMID: 19895806 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.10.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2009] [Revised: 10/27/2009] [Accepted: 10/27/2009] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
As the result of early specification processes, sea urchin embryos eventually form various mesodermal cell lineages and a gut consisting of fore-, mid- and hindgut. The progression of specification as well as the overall spatial organization of the organism is encoded in its gene regulatory networks (GRNs). We have analyzed the GRN driving endoderm specification up to the onset of gastrulation and present in this paper the mechanisms which determine this process up to mid-blastula stage. At this stage, the embryo consists of two separate lineages of endoderm precursor cells with distinct regulatory states. One of these lineages, the veg2 cell lineage, gives rise to endoderm and mesoderm cell types. The separation of these cell fates is initiated by the spatially confined activation of the mesoderm GRN superimposed on a generally activated endoderm GRN within veg2 descendants. Here we integrate the architecture of regulatory interactions with the spatial restriction of regulatory gene expression to model the logic control of endoderm development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle S Peter
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
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