Loss and gain of cone types in vertebrate ciliary photoreceptor evolution

Caecilians maintain a functional long-wavelength-sensitive cone opsin gene despite signatures of relaxed selection and more than 200 million years of fossoriality

Visual systems are tuned to animals' ecologies, evolving in response to specific light environments and visual needs. Ecological transitions to fossorial lifestyles impose strong selective pressures favoring morphological adaptations for underground life, such as increased skull ossification and reduced eye protrusion. Fossoriality may simultaneously relax constraints on other aspects of vision leading to diminished visual capabilities. Caecilians (Gymnophiona)-specialized, fossorial amphibians-possess reduced eyes covered by skin or bone. For years, these traits, along with the presence of a single photoreceptor expressing one functional opsin gene, have been interpreted as evidence of limited visual capabilities, including an inability to focus or perceive color. Our results challenge these assumptions: we identified the long-wavelength-sensitive (LWS) opsin gene in 11 species of caecilians spanning 8 of 10 recognized families. Molecular evidence indicates that LWS is intact and transcribed in the eye of at least one species (Caecilia orientalis). Anatomical observations from five caecilian families indicate highly organized retinae even in families with vestigial eyes. While the presence of cone cells in our study species remains uncertain, a putatively functional LWS gene suggests that the visual capabilities of caecilians and the role of light perception in their ecology may be underestimated.

Comparative single-cell transcriptomic analysis reveals putative differentiation drivers and potential origin of vertebrate retina

Despite known single-cell expression profiles in vertebrate retinas, understanding of their developmental and evolutionary expression patterns among homologous cell classes remains limited. We examined and compared approximately 240 000 retinal cells from four species and found significant similarities among homologous cell classes, indicating inherent regulatory patterns. To understand these shared patterns, we constructed gene regulatory networks for each developmental stage for three of these species. We identified 690 regulons governed by 530 regulators across three species, along with 10 common cell class-specific regulators and 16 highly preserved regulons. RNA velocity analysis pinpointed conserved putative driver genes and regulators to retinal cell differentiation in both mouse and zebrafish. Investigation of the origins of retinal cells by examining conserved expression patterns between vertebrate retinal cells and invertebrate Ciona intestinalis photoreceptor-related cells implied functional similarities in light transduction mechanisms. Our findings offer insights into the evolutionarily conserved regulatory frameworks and differentiation drivers of vertebrate retinal cells.

The maturation and aging trajectory of Marchantia polymorpha at single-cell resolution

Bryophytes represent a sister to the rest of land plants. Despite their evolutionary importance and relatively simple body plan, a comprehensive understanding of the cell types and transcriptional states that underpin the temporal development of bryophytes has not been achieved. Using time-resolved single-cell RNA sequencing, we define the cellular taxonomy of Marchantia polymorpha across asexual reproduction phases. We identify two maturation and aging trajectories of the main plant body of M. polymorpha at single-cell resolution: the gradual maturation of tissues and organs along the tip-to-base axis of the midvein and the progressive decline of meristem activities in the tip along the chronological axis. Specifically, we observe that the latter aging axis is temporally correlated with the formation of clonal propagules, suggesting an ancient strategy to optimize allocation of resources to producing offspring. Our work thus provides insights into the cellular heterogeneity that underpins the temporal development and aging of bryophytes.

Knockout of sws2a and sws2b in Medaka (Oryzias latipes) Reveals Their Roles in Regulating Vision-Guided Behavior and Eye Development

The medaka (Oryzias latipes) is an excellent vertebrate model for studying the development of the retina. Its genome database is complete, and the number of opsin genes is relatively small compared to zebrafish. Short wavelength sensitive 2 (sws2), a G-protein-coupled receptor expressed in the retina, has been lost in mammals, but its role in eye development in fish is still poorly understood. In this study, we established a sws2a and sws2b knockout medaka model by CRISPR/Cas9 technology. We discovered that medaka sws2a and sws2b are mainly expressed in the eyes and may be regulated by growth differentiation factor 6a (gdf6a). Compared with the WT, sws2a^-/- and sws2b^-/- mutant larvae displayed an increase in swimming speed during the changes from light to dark. We also observed that sws2a^-/- and sws2b^-/- larvae both swam faster than WT in the first 10 s of the 2 min light period. The enhanced vision-guided behavior in sws2a^-/- and sws2b^-/- medaka larvae may be related to the upregulation of phototransduction-related genes. Additionally, we also found that sws2b affects the expression of eye development genes, while sws2a is unaffected. Together, these findings indicate that sws2a and sws2b knockouts increase vision-guided behavior and phototransduction, but on the other hand, sws2b plays an important role in regulating eye development genes. This study provides data for further understanding of the role of sws2a and sws2b in medaka retina development.

Transcription factors underlying photoreceptor diversity

During development, retinal progenitors navigate a complex landscape of fate decisions to generate the major cell classes necessary for proper vision. Transcriptional regulation is critical to generate diversity within these major cell classes. Here, we aim to provide the resources and techniques required to identify transcription factors necessary to generate and maintain diversity in photoreceptor subtypes, which are critical for vision. First, we generate a key resource: a high-quality and deep transcriptomic profile of each photoreceptor subtype in adult zebrafish. We make this resource openly accessible, easy to explore, and have integrated it with other currently available photoreceptor transcriptomic datasets. Second, using our transcriptomic profiles, we derive an in-depth map of expression of transcription factors in photoreceptors. Third, we use efficient CRISPR-Cas9 based mutagenesis to screen for null phenotypes in F0 larvae (F0 screening) as a fast, efficient, and versatile technique to assess the involvement of candidate transcription factors in the generation of photoreceptor subtypes. We first show that known phenotypes can be easily replicated using this method: loss of S cones in foxq2 mutants and loss of rods in nr2e3 mutants. We then identify novel functions for the transcription factor Tbx2, demonstrating that it plays distinct roles in controlling the generation of all photoreceptor subtypes within the retina. Our study provides a roadmap to discover additional factors involved in this process. Additionally, we explore four transcription factors of unknown function (Skor1a, Sall1a, Lrrfip1a, and Xbp1), and find no evidence for their involvement in the generation of photoreceptor subtypes. This dataset and screening method will be a valuable way to explore the genes involved in many other essential aspects of photoreceptor biology.

Rebuilding ships while at sea-Character individuality, homology, and evolutionary innovation

How novel traits originate in evolution is still one of the most perplexing questions in Evolutionary Biology. Building on a previous account of evolutionary innovation, I here propose that evolutionary novelties are those individualized characters that are not homologous to any characters in the ancestor. To clarify this definition, I here provide a detailed analysis of the concepts of "character individuality" and "homology" first, before addressing their role for our understanding of evolutionary innovation. I will argue (1) that functional as well as structural considerations are important for character individualization; and (2) that compositional (structural) and positional homology need to be clearly distinguished to properly describe the evolutionary transformations of hierarchically structured characters. My account will therefore integrate functional and structural perspectives and put forward a new multi-level view of character identity and transformation.

Deep Diversity: Extensive Variation in the Components of Complex Visual Systems across Animals

Understanding the molecular underpinnings of the evolution of complex (multi-part) systems is a fundamental topic in biology. One unanswered question is to what the extent do similar or different genes and regulatory interactions underlie similar complex systems across species? Animal eyes and phototransduction (light detection) are outstanding systems to investigate this question because some of the genetics underlying these traits are well characterized in model organisms. However, comparative studies using non-model organisms are also necessary to understand the diversity and evolution of these traits. Here, we compare the characteristics of photoreceptor cells, opsins, and phototransduction cascades in diverse taxa, with a particular focus on cnidarians. In contrast to the common theme of deep homology, whereby similar traits develop mainly using homologous genes, comparisons of visual systems, especially in non-model organisms, are beginning to highlight a "deep diversity" of underlying components, illustrating how variation can underlie similar complex systems across taxa. Although using candidate genes from model organisms across diversity was a good starting point to understand the evolution of complex systems, unbiased genome-wide comparisons and subsequent functional validation will be necessary to uncover unique genes that comprise the complex systems of non-model groups to better understand biodiversity and its evolution.

The Gluopsins: Opsins without the Retinal Binding Lysine

Opsins allow us to see. They are G-protein-coupled receptors and bind as ligand retinal, which is bound covalently to a lysine in the seventh transmembrane domain. This makes opsins light-sensitive. The lysine is so conserved that it is used to define a sequence as an opsin and thus phylogenetic opsin reconstructions discard any sequence without it. However, recently, opsins were found that function not only as photoreceptors but also as chemoreceptors. For chemoreception, the lysine is not needed. Therefore, we wondered: Do opsins exists that have lost this lysine during evolution? To find such opsins, we built an automatic pipeline for reconstructing a large-scale opsin phylogeny. The pipeline compiles and aligns sequences from public sources, reconstructs the phylogeny, prunes rogue sequences, and visualizes the resulting tree. Our final opsin phylogeny is the largest to date with 4956 opsins. Among them is a clade of 33 opsins that have the lysine replaced by glutamic acid. Thus, we call them gluopsins. The gluopsins are mainly dragonfly and butterfly opsins, closely related to the RGR-opsins and the retinochromes. Like those, they have a derived NPxxY motif. However, what their particular function is, remains to be seen.

Rod genesis driven by mafba in an nrl knockout zebrafish model with altered photoreceptor composition and progressive retinal degeneration

Neural retina leucine zipper (NRL) is an essential gene for the fate determination and differentiation of the precursor cells into rod photoreceptors in mammals. Mutations in NRL are associated with the autosomal recessive enhanced S-cone syndrome and autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. However, the exact role of Nrl in regulating the development and maintenance of photoreceptors in the zebrafish (Danio rerio), a popular animal model used for retinal degeneration and regeneration studies, has not been fully determined. In this study, we generated an nrl knockout zebrafish model via the CRISPR-Cas9 technology and observed a surprising phenotype characterized by a reduced number, but not the total loss, of rods and over-growth of green cones. We discovered two waves of rod genesis, nrl-dependent and -independent at the embryonic and post-embryonic stages, respectively, in zebrafish by monitoring the rod development. Through bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing, we characterized the gene expression profiles of the whole retina and each retinal cell type from the wild type and nrl knockout zebrafish. The over-growth of green cones and mis-expression of green-cone-specific genes in rods in nrl mutants suggested that there are rod/green-cone bipotent precursors, whose fate choice between rod versus green-cone is controlled by nrl. Besides, we identified the mafba gene as a novel regulator of the nrl-independent rod development, based on the cell-type-specific expression patterns and the retinal phenotype of nrl/mafba double-knockout zebrafish. Gene collinearity analysis revealed the evolutionary origin of mafba and suggested that the function of mafba in rod development is specific to modern fishes. Furthermore, the altered photoreceptor composition and abnormal gene expression in nrl mutants caused progressive retinal degeneration and subsequent regeneration. Accordingly, this study revealed a novel function of the mafba gene in rod development and established a working model for the developmental and regulatory mechanisms regarding the rod and green-cone photoreceptors in zebrafish.

Vision is mediated by two types of light-sensing cells named rod and cone photoreceptors in animal eyes. Abnormal generation, dysfunction or death of photoreceptor cells all cause irreversible vision problems. NRL is an essential gene for the generation and function of rod cells in mice and humans. Surprisingly, we found that in the zebrafish, a popular animal model for human diseases and therapeutic testing, there are two types of rod cells, and eliminating the function of nrl gene affects the rod cell formation at the embryonic stage but not at the juvenile and adult stages. The rod cell formation at the post-embryonic is driven by the mafba gene, which has not been reported to play a role in rod cells. In addition to the reduced number of rod cells, deletion of nrl also results in the emergence of rod/green-cone hybrid cells and an increased number of green cones. The ensuing cellular and molecular alterations collectively lead to retinal degeneration. These findings expand our understanding of photoreceptor development and maintenance and highlight the underlying conserved and species-specific regulatory mechanisms.

Ciliary photoreceptors in sea urchin larvae indicate pan-deuterostome cell type conservation

BACKGROUND

The evolutionary history of cell types provides insights into how morphological and functional complexity arose during animal evolution. Photoreceptor cell types are particularly broadly distributed throughout Bilateria; however, their evolutionary relationship is so far unresolved. Previous studies indicate that ciliary photoreceptors are homologous at least within chordates, and here, we present evidence that a related form of this cell type is also present in echinoderm larvae.

RESULTS

Larvae of the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus have photoreceptors that are positioned bilaterally in the oral/anterior apical neurogenic ectoderm. Here, we show that these photoreceptors express the transcription factor Rx, which is commonly expressed in ciliary photoreceptors, together with an atypical opsin of the G_O family, opsin3.2, which localizes in particular to the cilia on the cell surface of photoreceptors. We show that these ciliary photoreceptors express the neuronal marker synaptotagmin and are located in proximity to pigment cells. Furthermore, we systematically identified additional transcription factors expressed in these larval photoreceptors and found that a majority are orthologous to transcription factors expressed in vertebrate ciliary photoreceptors, including Otx, Six3, Tbx2/3, and Rx. Based on the developmental expression of rx, these photoreceptors derive from the anterior apical neurogenic ectoderm. However, genes typically involved in eye development in bilateria, including pax6, six1/2, eya, and dac, are not expressed in sea urchin larval photoreceptors but are instead co-expressed in the hydropore canal.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on transcription factor expression, location, and developmental origin, we conclude that the sea urchin larval photoreceptors constitute a cell type that is likely homologous to the ciliary photoreceptors present in chordates.

Combined Analysis of the Effects of Exposure to Blue Light in Ducks Reveals a Reduction in Cholesterol Accumulation Through Changes in Methionine Metabolism and the Intestinal Microbiota

Monochromatic light is widely used in industry, medical treatment, and animal husbandry. Green-blue light has been found to stimulate the proliferation of satellite cells and the results of studies on the effects of blue light on poultry vary widely. It would be worthwhile to study the effect of blue light on poultry growth and how exposure to blue light affects metabolism and the intestinal microbiota. In this study, we irradiated Cherry Valley ducks with 460 nm wavelength light (blue light) for 3 weeks to explore the effects of blue light in comparison to those of white light (combined wavelength light) on animal growth and development. Our results showed that, under exposure to blue light, the body weight and average daily feed intake of ducks were decreased, but the leg muscle and relative length of the intestine were increased. Exposure to blue light chiefly enhanced the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacities of the animal and decreased lipid levels in serum and liver. Metabolomic analysis revealed that blue light heightened cysteine and methionine metabolism, and increased serum taurine and primary bile acid levels, as well as up-regulating the metabolites L-carnitine and glutamine. Treatment with blue light significantly increased the beta diversity of intestinal microbiota and the relative abundances of bile acid hydrolase-producing bacteria, especially Alistipes. These changes promote the synthesis of secondary bile acids to further enhance lipid metabolism in the host, thereby reducing cholesterol accumulation in ducks. These results should help us better understand the effects of exposure to blue light on metabolite levels and the intestinal microbiota, and suggest that it may be possible to use colored light to control the development of livestock and poultry.

Ancestral circuits for vertebrate color vision emerge at the first retinal synapse

For color vision, retinal circuits separate information about intensity and wavelength. In vertebrates that use the full complement of four “ancestral” cone types, the nature and implementation of this computation remain poorly understood. Here, we establish the complete circuit architecture of outer retinal circuits underlying color processing in larval zebrafish. We find that the synaptic outputs of red and green cones efficiently rotate the encoding of natural daylight in a principal components analysis–like manner to yield primary achromatic and spectrally opponent axes, respectively. Blue cones are tuned to capture most remaining variance when opposed to green cones, while UV cone present a UV achromatic axis for prey capture. We note that fruitflies use essentially the same strategy. Therefore, rotating color space into primary achromatic and chromatic axes at the eye’s first synapse may thus be a fundamental principle of color vision when using more than two spectrally well-separated photoreceptor types.

Interphotoreceptor coupling: an evolutionary perspective

In the vertebrate retina, signals generated by cones of different spectral preference and by highly sensitive rod photoreceptors interact at various levels to extract salient visual information. The first opportunity for such interaction is offered by electrical coupling of the photoreceptors themselves, which is mediated by gap junctions located at the contact points of specialised cellular processes: synaptic terminals, telodendria and radial fins. Here, we examine the evolutionary pressures for and against interphotoreceptor coupling, which are likely to have shaped how coupling is deployed in different species. The impact of coupling on signal to noise ratio, spatial acuity, contrast sensitivity, absolute and increment threshold, retinal signal flow and colour discrimination is discussed while emphasising available data from a variety of vertebrate models spanning from lampreys to primates. We highlight the many gaps in our knowledge, persisting discrepancies in the literature, as well as some major unanswered questions on the actual extent and physiological role of cone-cone, rod-cone and rod-rod communication. Lastly, we point toward limited but intriguing evidence suggestive of the ancestral form of coupling among ciliary photoreceptors.

Tbx2a Modulates Switching of RH2 and LWS Opsin Gene Expression

Sensory systems are tuned by selection to maximize organismal fitness in particular environments. This tuning has implications for intraspecies communication, the maintenance of species boundaries, and speciation. Tuning of color vision largely depends on the sequence of the expressed opsin proteins. To improve tuning of visual sensitivities to shifts in habitat or foraging ecology over the course of development, many organisms change which opsins are expressed. Changes in this developmental sequence (heterochronic shifts) can create differences in visual sensitivity among closely related species. The genetic mechanisms by which these developmental shifts occur are poorly understood. Here, we use quantitative trait locus analyses, genome sequencing, and gene expression studies in African cichlid fishes to identify a role for the transcription factor Tbx2a in driving a switch between long wavelength sensitive (LWS) and Rhodopsin-like (RH2) opsin expression. We identify binding sites for Tbx2a in the LWS promoter and the highly conserved locus control region of RH2 which concurrently promote LWS expression while repressing RH2 expression. We also present evidence that a single change in Tbx2a regulatory sequence has led to a species difference in visual tuning, providing the first mechanistic model for the evolution of rapid switches in sensory tuning. This difference in visual tuning likely has important roles in evolution as it corresponds to differences in diet, microhabitat choice, and male nuptial coloration.

Interaction between SDF1 and CXCR4 Promotes Photoreceptor Differentiation via Upregulation of NFκB Pathway Signaling Activity in Pax6 Gene-Transfected Photoreceptor Precursors

BACKGROUND

CCL2 (also known as monocyte chemoattractant protein 1) and CX3CR1 (also known as Fractalkine receptor)-deficient mice have damaged photoreceptors.

OBJECTIVES

We examined the interaction of SDF1 and CXCR4 on the differentiation of retinal progenitors into rhodopsin-positive photoreceptors.

METHODS

Cloned retinal progenitors were obtained by Pax6 gene transfection of mouse iPS cells followed by serial dilution. Clones were selected by expression of nestin, Musashi1, Six3, and Chx10 mRNA. Cell surface protein expression was analyzed by flow cytometry. The levels of mRNA and intracellular protein were examined by real-time PCR and immunochemistry, respectively. Transient transfection experiments of retinal progenitors were conducted using a human rhodopsin promoter luciferase plasmid.

RESULTS

We selected 10 clones that expressed Six3, Chx10, Crx, Rx1, Nrl, CD73, and rhodopsin mRNA, which, except for rhodopsin, are photoreceptor precursor markers. Clones expressed both CD73 and CXCR4 on the cell surface and differentiated into rhodopsin-positive photoreceptors, which was reinforced by the addition of exogenous SDF1. A CXCR4 inhibitor AMD3100 blocked SDF1-mediated differentiation of progenitors into photoreceptors. SDF1 enhanced human rhodopsin promoter transcription activity, possibly via the NFκB pathway. Addition of SDF1 to the cell culture induced nuclear translocation of NFκB on retinal progenitor cell clones. Neonatal and newborn mouse retinas expressed SDF1 and CXCR4. Cells in the outer nuclear layer where photoreceptors are located expressed CXCR4 at P14 and P56. Cells in the inner nuclear layer expressed SDF1.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that retinal progenitor cell differentiation was at least partly regulated by SDF1 and CXCR4 via upregulation of NFκB activity.

Evolution of the genes mediating phototransduction in rod and cone photoreceptors

This paper reviews current knowledge of the evolution of the multiple genes encoding proteins that mediate the process of phototransduction in rod and cone photoreceptors of vertebrates. The approach primarily involves molecular phylogenetic analysis of phototransduction protein sequences, combined with analysis of the syntenic arrangement of the genes. At least 35 of these phototransduction genes appear to reside on no more than five paralogons - paralogous regions that each arose from a common ancestral region. Furthermore, it appears that such paralogs arose through quadruplication during the two rounds of genome duplication (2R WGD) that occurred in a chordate ancestor prior to the vertebrate radiation, probably around 600 millions years ago. For several components of the phototransduction cascade, it is shown that distinct isoforms already existed prior to WGD, with the likely implication that separate classes of scotopic and photopic photoreceptor cells had already evolved by that stage. The subsequent quadruplication of the entire genome then permitted the refinement of multiple distinct protein isoforms in rods and cones. A unified picture of the likely pattern and approximate timing of all the important gene duplications is synthesised, and the implications for our understanding of the evolution of rod and cone phototransduction are presented.

On the origin of proteins in human drusen: The meet, greet and stick hypothesis

Retinal drusen formation is not only a clinical hallmark for the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) but also for other disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and renal diseases. The initiation and growth of drusen is poorly understood. Attention has focused on lipids and minerals, but relatively little is known about the origin of drusen-associated proteins and how they are retained in the space between the basal lamina of the retinal pigment epithelium and the inner collagenous layer space (sub-RPE-BL space). While some authors suggested that drusen proteins are mainly derived from cellular debris from processed photoreceptor outer segments and the RPE, others suggest a choroidal cell or blood origin. Here, we reviewed and supplemented the existing literature on the molecular composition of the retina/choroid complex, to gain a more complete understanding of the sources of proteins in drusen. These "drusenomics" studies showed that a considerable proportion of currently identified drusen proteins is uniquely originating from the blood. A smaller, but still large fraction of drusen proteins comes from both blood and/or RPE. Only a small proportion of drusen proteins is uniquely derived from the photoreceptors or choroid. We next evaluated how drusen components may "meet, greet and stick" to each other and/or to structures like hydroxyapatite spherules to form macroscopic deposits in the sub-RPE-BL space. Finally, we discuss implications of our findings with respect to the previously proposed homology between drusenogenesis in AMD and plaque formation in atherosclerosis.

NeuroSystematics and Periodic System of Neurons: Model vs Reference Species at Single-Cell Resolution

There is more than one way to develop neuronal complexity, and animals frequently use different molecular toolkits to achieve similar functional outcomes (=convergent evolution). Neurons are different not only because they have different functions, but also because neurons and circuits have different genealogies, and perhaps independent origins at the broadest scale from ctenophores and cnidarians to cephalopods and primates. By combining modern phylogenomics, single-neuron sequencing (scRNA-seq), machine learning, single-cell proteomics, and metabolomic across Metazoa, it is possible to reconstruct the evolutionary histories of neurons tracing them to ancestral secretory cells. Comparative data suggest that neurons, and perhaps synapses, evolved at least 2-3 times (in ctenophore, cnidarian and bilateral lineages) during ∼600 million years of animal evolution. There were also several independent events of the nervous system centralization either from a common bilateral/cnidarian ancestor without the bona fide neurons or from the urbilaterian with diffuse, nerve-net type nervous system. From the evolutionary standpoint, (i) a neuron should be viewed as a functional rather than a genetic character, and (ii) any given neural system might be chimeric and composed of different cell lineages with distinct origins and evolutionary histories. The identification of distant neural homologies or examples of convergent evolution among 34 phyla will not only allow the reconstruction of neural systems' evolution but together with single-cell "omic" approaches the proposed synthesis would lead to the "Periodic System of Neurons" with predictive power for neuronal phenotypes and plasticity. Such a phylogenetic classification framework of Neuronal Systematics (NeuroSystematics) might be a conceptual analog of the Periodic System of Chemical Elements. scRNA-seq profiling of all neurons in an entire brain or Brain-seq is now fully achievable in many nontraditional reference species across the entire animal kingdom. Arguably, marine animals are the most suitable for the proposed tasks because the world oceans represent the greatest taxonomic and body-plan diversity.

In utero gene expression in the Slc39a8(neo/neo) knockdown mouse

Slc39a8 encodes ZIP8, a divalent cation/bicarbonate symporter expressed in pluripotent mouse embryonic stem cells, and therefore ubiquitous in adult tissues; ZIP8 influxes Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺. Slc39a8(neo/neo) knockdown mice exhibit 10-15% of wild-type ZIP8 mRNA and protein levels, and show pleiotropic phenotype of stunted growth, neonatal lethality, multi-organ dysmorphogenesis, and dysregulated hematopoiesis manifested as severe anemia. Herein we performed RNA-seq analysis of gestational day (GD)13.5 yolk sac and placenta, and GD16.5 liver, kidney, lung, heart and cerebellum, comparing Slc39a8(neo/neo) with Slc39a8(+/+) wild-type. Meta-data analysis of differentially-expressed genes revealed 29 unique genes from all tissues - having enriched GO categories associated with hematopoiesis and hypoxia and KEGG categories of complement, response to infection, and coagulation cascade - consistent with dysregulated hematopoietic stem cell fate. Based on transcription factor (TF) profiles in the JASPAR database, and searching for TF-binding sites enriched by Pscan, we identified numerous genes encoding zinc-finger and other TFs associated with hematopoietic stem cell functions. We conclude that, in this mouse model, deficient ZIP8-mediated divalent cation transport affects zinc-finger (e.g. GATA proteins) and other TFs interacting with GATA proteins (e.g. TAL1), predominantly in yolk sac. These data strongly support the phenotype of dysmorphogenesis and anemia seen in Slc39a8(neo/neo) mice in utero.