1
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Wilcockson SG, Guglielmi L, Araguas Rodriguez P, Amoyel M, Hill CS. An improved Erk biosensor detects oscillatory Erk dynamics driven by mitotic erasure during early development. Dev Cell 2023; 58:2802-2818.e5. [PMID: 37714159 PMCID: PMC7615346 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) signaling dynamics elicit distinct cellular responses in a variety of contexts. The early zebrafish embryo is an ideal model to explore the role of Erk signaling dynamics in vivo, as a gradient of activated diphosphorylated Erk (P-Erk) is induced by fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) signaling at the blastula margin. Here, we describe an improved Erk-specific biosensor, which we term modified Erk kinase translocation reporter (modErk-KTR). We demonstrate the utility of this biosensor in vitro and in developing zebrafish and Drosophila embryos. Moreover, we show that Fgf/Erk signaling is dynamic and coupled to tissue growth during both early zebrafish and Drosophila development. Erk activity is rapidly extinguished just prior to mitosis, which we refer to as mitotic erasure, inducing periods of inactivity, thus providing a source of heterogeneity in an asynchronously dividing tissue. Our modified reporter and transgenic lines represent an important resource for interrogating the role of Erk signaling dynamics in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott G Wilcockson
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Luca Guglielmi
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Pablo Araguas Rodriguez
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Marc Amoyel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Caroline S Hill
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK.
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2
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Abstract
Metazoan embryos develop from a single cell into three-dimensional structured organisms while groups of genetically identical cells attain specialized identities. Cells of the developing embryo both create and accurately interpret morphogen gradients to determine their positions and make specific decisions in response. Here, we first cover intellectual roots of morphogen and positional information concepts. Focusing on animal embryos, we then provide a review of current understanding on how morphogen gradients are established and how their spans are controlled. Lastly, we cover how gradients evolve in time and space during development, and how they encode information to control patterning. In sum, we provide a list of patterning principles for morphogen gradients and review recent advances in quantitative methodologies elucidating information provided by morphogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Fethullah Simsek
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Ertuğrul M. Özbudak
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
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3
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McFann SE, Shvartsman SY, Toettcher JE. Putting in the Erk: Growth factor signaling and mesoderm morphogenesis. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 149:263-310. [PMID: 35606058 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
It has long been known that FGF signaling contributes to mesoderm formation, a germ layer found in triploblasts that is composed of highly migratory cells that give rise to muscles and to the skeletal structures of vertebrates. FGF signaling activates several pathways in the developing mesoderm, including transient activation of the Erk pathway, which triggers mesodermal fate specification through the induction of the gene brachyury and activates morphogenetic programs that allow mesodermal cells to position themselves in the embryo. In this review, we discuss what is known about the generation and interpretation of transient Erk signaling in mesodermal tissues across species. We focus specifically on mechanisms that translate the level and duration of Erk signaling into cell fate and cell movement instructions and discuss strategies for further interrogating the role that Erk signaling dynamics play in mesodermal gastrulation and morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E McFann
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States; Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- Lewis Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States; Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States; Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, Simons Foundation, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jared E Toettcher
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States.
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4
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Abstract
Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family ligands play crucial roles in orchestrating early embryonic development. Most significantly, two family members, NODAL and BMP form signaling gradients and indeed in fish, frogs and sea urchins these two opposing gradients are sufficient to organize a complete embryonic axis. This review focuses on how these gradients are established and interpreted during early vertebrate development. The review highlights key principles that are emerging, in particular the importance of signaling duration as well as ligand concentration in both gradient generation and their interpretation. Feedforward and feedback loops involving other signaling pathways are also essential for providing spatial and temporal information downstream of the NODAL and BMP signaling pathways. Finally, new data suggest the existence of buffering mechanisms, whereby early signaling defects can be readily corrected downstream later in development, suggesting that signaling gradients do not have to be as precise as previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline S Hill
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
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5
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Martin BL. Mesoderm induction and patterning: Insights from neuromesodermal progenitors. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 127:37-45. [PMID: 34840081 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of mesoderm inducing signals helped usher in the era of molecular developmental biology, and today the mechanisms of mesoderm induction and patterning are still intensely studied. Mesoderm induction begins during gastrulation, but recent evidence in vertebrates shows that this process continues after gastrulation in a group of posteriorly localized cells called neuromesodermal progenitors (NMPs). NMPs reside within the post-gastrulation embryonic structure called the tailbud, where they make a lineage decision between ectoderm (spinal cord) and mesoderm. The majority of NMP-derived mesoderm generates somites, but also contributes to lateral mesoderm fates such as endothelium. The discovery of NMPs provides a new paradigm in which to study vertebrate mesoderm induction. This review will discuss mechanisms of mesoderm induction within NMPs, and how they have informed our understanding of mesoderm induction more broadly within vertebrates as well as animal species outside of the vertebrate lineage. Special focus will be given to the signaling networks underlying NMP-derived mesoderm induction and patterning, as well as emerging work on the significance of partial epithelial-mesenchymal states in coordinating cell fate and morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin L Martin
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, USA.
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6
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Kumar V, Park S, Lee U, Kim J. The Organizer and Its Signaling in Embryonic Development. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:jdb9040047. [PMID: 34842722 PMCID: PMC8628936 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9040047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Germ layer specification and axis formation are crucial events in embryonic development. The Spemann organizer regulates the early developmental processes by multiple regulatory mechanisms. This review focuses on the responsive signaling in organizer formation and how the organizer orchestrates the germ layer specification in vertebrates. Accumulated evidence indicates that the organizer influences embryonic development by dual signaling. Two parallel processes, the migration of the organizer’s cells, followed by the transcriptional activation/deactivation of target genes, and the diffusion of secreting molecules, collectively direct the early development. Finally, we take an in-depth look at active signaling that originates from the organizer and involves germ layer specification and patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Cell Differentiation and Aging, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea;
| | - Soochul Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea;
| | - Unjoo Lee
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
- Correspondence: (U.L.); (J.K.); Tel.: +82-33-248-2544 (J.K.); Fax: +82-33-244-8425 (J.K.)
| | - Jaebong Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Cell Differentiation and Aging, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea;
- Correspondence: (U.L.); (J.K.); Tel.: +82-33-248-2544 (J.K.); Fax: +82-33-244-8425 (J.K.)
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7
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Andrikou C, Hejnol A. FGF signaling acts on different levels of mesoderm development within Spiralia. Development 2021; 148:264929. [PMID: 33999997 PMCID: PMC8180254 DOI: 10.1242/dev.196089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
FGF signaling is involved in mesoderm induction in members of deuterostomes (e.g. tunicates, hemichordates), but not in flies and nematodes, in which it has a role in mesoderm patterning and migration. However, we need comparable studies in other protostome taxa in order to decipher whether this mesoderm-inducing function of FGF extends beyond the lineage of deuterostomes. Here, we investigated the role of FGF signaling in mesoderm development in three species of lophophorates, a clade within the protostome group Spiralia. Our gene expression analyses show that the mesodermal molecular patterning is conserved between brachiopods and phoronids, but the spatial and temporal recruitment of transcription factors differs significantly. Moreover, the use of the inhibitor SU5402 demonstrates that FGF signaling is involved in different steps of mesoderm development, as well as in morphogenetic movements of gastrulation and axial elongation. Our findings suggest that the mesoderm-inducing role of FGF extends beyond the group of deuterostomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Andrikou
- University of Bergen, Department of Biological Sciences, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006 Bergen, Norway.,Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006 Bergen, Norway
| | - Andreas Hejnol
- University of Bergen, Department of Biological Sciences, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006 Bergen, Norway.,Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5006 Bergen, Norway
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8
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Soh GH, Pomreinke AP, Müller P. Integration of Nodal and BMP Signaling by Mutual Signaling Effector Antagonism. Cell Rep 2020; 31:107487. [PMID: 32268105 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.03.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Opposing sources of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and Nodal signaling molecules are sufficient to induce the formation of a full axis in zebrafish embryos. To address how these signals orchestrate patterning, we transplant sources of fluorescently tagged Nodal and BMP into zebrafish embryos, robustly inducing the formation of secondary axes. Nodal and BMP signal non-cell-autonomously and form similar protein gradients in this context, but the signaling range of Nodal (pSmad2) is shorter than the BMP range (pSmad5). This yields a localized region of pSmad2 activity around the Nodal source, overlapping with a broad domain of pSmad5 activity across the embryo. Cell fates induced in various regions stereotypically correlate with pSmad2-to-pSmad5 ratios and can even be induced BMP- and Nodal-independently with different ratios of constitutively active Smad2 and Smad5. Strikingly, we find that Smad2 and Smad5 antagonize each other for specific cell fates, providing a mechanism for how cells integrate and discriminate between overlapping signals during development. Nodal induces pSmad at a shorter range than BMP due to slower activation kinetics Different ratios of active Smad2 and Smad5 can induce different embryonic structures Smad2 and Smad5 inhibit each other or act synergistically to induce specific cell fates
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9
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Abstract
Signaling molecules activate distinct patterns of gene expression to coordinate embryogenesis, but how spatiotemporal expression diversity is generated is an open question. In zebrafish, a BMP signaling gradient patterns the dorsal-ventral axis. We systematically identified target genes responding to BMP and found that they have diverse spatiotemporal expression patterns. Transcriptional responses to optogenetically delivered high- and low-amplitude BMP signaling pulses indicate that spatiotemporal expression is not fully defined by different BMP signaling activation thresholds. Additionally, we observed negligible correlations between spatiotemporal expression and transcription kinetics for the majority of analyzed genes in response to BMP signaling pulses. In contrast, spatial differences between BMP target genes largely collapsed when FGF and Nodal signaling were inhibited. Our results suggest that, similar to other patterning systems, combinatorial signaling is likely to be a major driver of spatial diversity in BMP-dependent gene expression in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine W Rogers
- Systems Biology of Development Group, Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Mohammad ElGamacy
- Systems Biology of Development Group, Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany.,Modeling Tumorigenesis Group, Translational Oncology Division, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Heliopolis Biotechnology Ltd, London, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin M Jordan
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Patrick Müller
- Systems Biology of Development Group, Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany.,Modeling Tumorigenesis Group, Translational Oncology Division, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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10
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11
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Abstract
One of the most powerful ideas in developmental biology has been that of the morphogen gradient. In the classical view, a signaling molecule is produced at a local source from where it diffuses, resulting in graded levels across the tissue. This gradient provides positional information, with thresholds in the level of the morphogen determining the position of different cell fates. While experimental studies have uncovered numerous potential morphogens in biological systems, it is becoming increasingly apparent that one important feature, not captured in the simple model, is the role of time in both the formation and interpretation of morphogen gradients. We will focus on two members of the transforming growth factor-β family that are known to play a vital role as morphogens in early vertebrate development: the Nodals and the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). Primarily drawing on the early zebrafish embryo, we will show how recent studies have demonstrated the importance of feedback and other interactions that evolve through time, in shaping morphogen gradients. We will further show how rather than simply reading out levels of a morphogen, the duration of ligand exposure can be a crucial determinant of how cells interpret morphogens, in particular through the unfolding of downstream transcriptional events and in their interactions with other pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Economou
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline S Hill
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
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12
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Fischer P, Chen H, Pacho F, Rieder D, Kimmel RA, Meyer D. FoxH1 represses miR-430 during early embryonic development of zebrafish via non-canonical regulation. BMC Biol 2019; 17:61. [PMID: 31362746 PMCID: PMC6664792 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-019-0683-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background FoxH1 is a forkhead transcription factor with conserved key functions in vertebrate mesoderm induction and left-right patterning downstream of the TGF-beta/Nodal signaling pathway. Binding of the forkhead domain (FHD) of FoxH1 to a highly conserved proximal sequence motif was shown to regulate target gene expression. Results We identify the conserved microRNA-430 family (miR-430) as a novel target of FoxH1. miR-430 levels are increased in foxH1 mutants, resulting in a reduced expression of transcripts that are targeted by miR-430 for degradation. To determine the underlying mechanism of miR-430 repression, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation studies and overexpression experiments with mutant as well as constitutive active and repressive forms of FoxH1. Our studies reveal a molecular interaction of FoxH1 with miR-430 loci independent of the FHD. Furthermore, we show that previously described mutant forms of FoxH1 that disrupt DNA binding or that lack the C-terminal Smad Interaction Domain (SID) dominantly interfere with miR-430 repression, but not with the regulation of previously described FoxH1 targets. Conclusions We were able to identify the distinct roles of protein domains of FoxH1 in the regulation process of miR-430. We provide evidence that the indirect repression of miR-430 loci depends on the connection to a distal repressive chromosome environment via a non-canonical mode. The widespread distribution of such non-canonical binding sites of FoxH1, found not only in our study, argues against a function restricted to regulating miR-430 and for a more global role of FoxH1 in chromatin folding. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12915-019-0683-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Fischer
- Institute of Molecular Biology/CMBI, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Hao Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology/CMBI, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Frederic Pacho
- Institute of Molecular Biology/CMBI, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dietmar Rieder
- Division of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Innrain 80, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Robin A Kimmel
- Institute of Molecular Biology/CMBI, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Dirk Meyer
- Institute of Molecular Biology/CMBI, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
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13
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Fernandes SF, Fior R, Pinto F, Gama-Carvalho M, Saúde L. Fine-tuning of fgf8a expression through alternative polyadenylation has a selective impact on Fgf-associated developmental processes. Biochim Biophys Acta Gene Regul Mech 2018; 1861:S1874-9399(18)30100-7. [PMID: 30071346 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2018.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The formation of distinct 3'UTRs through alternative polyadenylation is a mechanism of gene expression regulation that has been implicated in many physiological and pathological processes. However, its functions in the context of vertebrate embryonic development have been largely unaddressed, in particular with a gene-specific focus. Here we show that the most abundant 3'UTR for the zebrafish fgf8a gene in the developing embryo mediates a strong translational repression, when compared to a more sparsely used alternative 3'UTR, which supports a higher translational efficiency. By inducing a shift in the selection efficiency of the associated polyadenylation sites, we show a temporally and spatially specific impact of fgf8a 3'UTR usage on embryogenesis, in particular at late stages during sensory system development. In addition, we identified a previously undescribed role for Fgf signalling in the initial stages of superficial retinal vascularization. These results reveal a critical functional importance of gene-specific alternative 3'UTRs in vertebrate embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara F Fernandes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal; University of Lisboa, Faculty of Sciences, BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Rita Fior
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Francisco Pinto
- University of Lisboa, Faculty of Sciences, BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Margarida Gama-Carvalho
- University of Lisboa, Faculty of Sciences, BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Leonor Saúde
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto de Histologia e Biologia do Desenvolvimento, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal.
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14
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Almuedo-Castillo M, Bläßle A, Mörsdorf D, Marcon L, Soh GH, Rogers KW, Schier AF, Müller P. Scale-invariant patterning by size-dependent inhibition of Nodal signalling. Nat Cell Biol 2018; 20:1032-1042. [PMID: 30061678 PMCID: PMC6217922 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-018-0155-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Individuals can vary significantly in size, but the proportions of their body plans are often maintained. We generated smaller zebrafish by removing 30% of their cells at blastula stages and found that these embryos developed into normally patterned individuals. Strikingly, the proportions of all germ layers adjusted to the new embryo size within two hours after cell removal. Since Nodal/Lefty signalling controls germ layer patterning, we performed a computational screen for scale-invariant models of this activator/inhibitor system. This analysis predicted that the concentration of the highly diffusive inhibitor Lefty increases in smaller embryos, leading to a decreased Nodal activity range and contracted germ layer dimensions. In vivo studies confirmed that Lefty concentration increased in smaller embryos, and embryos with reduced Lefty levels or with diffusion-hindered Lefty failed to scale their tissue proportions. These results reveal that size-dependent inhibition of Nodal signalling allows scale-invariant patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Almuedo-Castillo
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany.,Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Alexander Bläßle
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | - David Mörsdorf
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Luciano Marcon
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany.,Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Gary H Soh
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katherine W Rogers
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alexander F Schier
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Patrick Müller
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany.
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15
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Abstract
TGF-β family ligands function in inducing and patterning many tissues of the early vertebrate embryonic body plan. Nodal signaling is essential for the specification of mesendodermal tissues and the concurrent cellular movements of gastrulation. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling patterns tissues along the dorsal-ventral axis and simultaneously directs the cell movements of convergence and extension. After gastrulation, a second wave of Nodal signaling breaks the symmetry between the left and right sides of the embryo. During these processes, elaborate regulatory feedback between TGF-β ligands and their antagonists direct the proper specification and patterning of embryonic tissues. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the function and regulation of TGF-β family signaling in these processes. Although we cover principles that are involved in the development of all vertebrate embryos, we focus specifically on three popular model organisms: the mouse Mus musculus, the African clawed frog of the genus Xenopus, and the zebrafish Danio rerio, highlighting the similarities and differences between these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Zinski
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6058
| | - Benjamin Tajer
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6058
| | - Mary C Mullins
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6058
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16
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Rogers KW, Müller P. Nodal and BMP dispersal during early zebrafish development. Dev Biol 2019; 447:14-23. [PMID: 29653088 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The secreted TGF-β superfamily signals Nodal and BMP coordinate the patterning of vertebrate embryos. Nodal specifies endoderm and mesoderm during germ layer formation, and BMP specifies ventral fates and patterns the dorsal/ventral axis. Five major models have been proposed to explain how the correct distributions of Nodal and BMP are achieved within tissues to orchestrate embryogenesis: source/sink, transcriptional determination, relay, self-regulation, and shuttling. Here, we discuss recent experiments probing these signal dispersal models, focusing on early zebrafish development.
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17
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Kindt LM, Coughlin AR, Perosino TR, Ersfeld HN, Hampton M, Liang JO. Identification of transcripts potentially involved in neural tube closure using RNA sequencing. Genesis 2018; 56:e23096. [PMID: 29488319 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2017] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Anencephaly is a fatal human neural tube defect (NTD) in which the anterior neural tube remains open. Zebrafish embryos with reduced Nodal signaling display an open anterior neural tube phenotype that is analogous to anencephaly. Previous work from our laboratory suggests that Nodal signaling acts through induction of the head mesendoderm and mesoderm. Head mesendoderm/mesoderm then, through an unknown mechanism, promotes formation of the polarized neuroepithelium that is capable of undergoing the movements required for closure. We compared the transcriptome of embryos treated with a Nodal signaling inhibitor at sphere stage, which causes NTDs, to embryos treated at 30% epiboly, which does not cause NTDs. This screen identified over 3,000 transcripts with potential roles in anterior neurulation. Expression of several genes encoding components of tight and adherens junctions was significantly reduced, supporting the model that Nodal signaling regulates formation of the neuroepithelium. mRNAs involved in Wnt, FGF, and BMP signaling were also differentially expressed, suggesting these pathways might regulate anterior neurulation. In support of this, we found that pharmacological inhibition of FGF-receptor function causes an open anterior NTD as well as loss of mesodermal derivatives. This suggests that Nodal and FGF signaling both promote anterior neurulation through induction of head mesoderm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lexy M Kindt
- Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth.,Integrated Biosciences Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Duluth
| | - Alicia R Coughlin
- Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth.,Integrated Biosciences Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Duluth
| | | | - Haley N Ersfeld
- Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth
| | - Marshall Hampton
- Integrated Biosciences Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Duluth.,Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth
| | - Jennifer O Liang
- Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth.,Integrated Biosciences Graduate Program, University of Minnesota, Duluth
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18
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van Boxtel AL, Economou AD, Heliot C, Hill CS. Long-Range Signaling Activation and Local Inhibition Separate the Mesoderm and Endoderm Lineages. Dev Cell 2018; 44:179-191.e5. [PMID: 29275993 PMCID: PMC5791662 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Specification of the three germ layers by graded Nodal signaling has long been seen as a paradigm for patterning through a single morphogen gradient. However, by exploiting the unique properties of the zebrafish embryo to capture the dynamics of signaling and cell fate allocation, we now demonstrate that Nodal functions in an incoherent feedforward loop, together with Fgf, to determine the pattern of endoderm and mesoderm specification. We show that Nodal induces long-range Fgf signaling while simultaneously inducing the cell-autonomous Fgf signaling inhibitor Dusp4 within the first two cell tiers from the margin. The consequent attenuation of Fgf signaling in these cells allows specification of endoderm progenitors, while the cells further from the margin, which receive Nodal and/or Fgf signaling, are specified as mesoderm. This elegant model demonstrates the necessity of feedforward and feedback interactions between multiple signaling pathways for providing cells with temporal and positional information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonius L van Boxtel
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Andrew D Economou
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Claire Heliot
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Caroline S Hill
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK.
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19
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Kahata K, Dadras MS, Moustakas A. TGF-β Family Signaling in Epithelial Differentiation and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2018; 10:cshperspect.a022194. [PMID: 28246184 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a022194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Epithelia exist in the animal body since the onset of embryonic development; they generate tissue barriers and specify organs and glands. Through epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs), epithelia generate mesenchymal cells that form new tissues and promote healing or disease manifestation when epithelial homeostasis is challenged physiologically or pathologically. Transforming growth factor-βs (TGF-βs), activins, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), and growth and differentiation factors (GDFs) have been implicated in the regulation of epithelial differentiation. These TGF-β family ligands are expressed and secreted at sites where the epithelium interacts with the mesenchyme and provide paracrine queues from the mesenchyme to the neighboring epithelium, helping the specification of differentiated epithelial cell types within an organ. TGF-β ligands signal via Smads and cooperating kinase pathways and control the expression or activities of key transcription factors that promote either epithelial differentiation or mesenchymal transitions. In this review, we discuss evidence that illustrates how TGF-β family ligands contribute to epithelial differentiation and induce mesenchymal transitions, by focusing on the embryonic ectoderm and tissues that form the external mammalian body lining.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaoru Kahata
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, SE-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mahsa Shahidi Dadras
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, SE-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Aristidis Moustakas
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, SE-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
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20
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Kim DH, Xing T, Yang Z, Dudek R, Lu Q, Chen YH. Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition in Embryonic Development, Tissue Repair and Cancer: A Comprehensive Overview. J Clin Med 2017; 7:E1. [PMID: 29271928 DOI: 10.3390/jcm7010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a central role in both normal physiological events (e.g., embryonic development) and abnormal pathological events (e.g., tumor formation and metastasis). The processes that occur in embryonic development are often reactivated under pathological conditions such as oncogenesis. Therefore, defining the regulatory networks (both gene and protein levels) involved in the EMT during embryonic development will be fundamental in understanding the regulatory networks involved in tumor development, as well as metastasis. There are many molecules, factors, mediators and signaling pathways that are involved in the EMT process. Although the EMT is a very old topic with numerous publications, recent new technologies and discoveries give this research area some new perspective and direction. It is now clear that these important processes are controlled by a network of transcriptional and translational regulators in addition to post-transcriptional and post-translational modifications that amplify the initial signals. In this review article, we will discuss some key concepts, historical findings, as well as some recent progresses in the EMT research field.
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21
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Abstract
The process of germ layer formation is a universal feature of animal development. The germ layers separate the cells that produce the internal organs and tissues from those that produce the nervous system and outer tissues. Their discovery in the early nineteenth century transformed embryology from a purely descriptive field into a rigorous scientific discipline, in which hypotheses could be tested by observation and experimentation. By systematically addressing the questions of how the germ layers are formed and how they generate overall body plan, scientists have made fundamental contributions to the fields of evolution, cell signaling, morphogenesis, and stem cell biology. At each step, this work was advanced by the development of innovative methods of observing cell behavior in vivo and in culture. Here, we take an historical approach to describe our current understanding of vertebrate germ layer formation as it relates to the long-standing questions of developmental biology. By comparing how germ layers form in distantly related vertebrate species, we find that highly conserved molecular pathways can be adapted to perform the same function in dramatically different embryonic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Chia Tseng
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Mumingjiang Munisha
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Juan B Gutierrez
- Department of Mathematics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.,Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Scott T Dougan
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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22
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Kiecker C, Bates T, Bell E. Molecular specification of germ layers in vertebrate embryos. Cell Mol Life Sci 2016; 73:923-47. [PMID: 26667903 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-015-2092-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Revised: 10/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In order to generate the tissues and organs of a multicellular organism, different cell types have to be generated during embryonic development. The first step in this process of cellular diversification is the formation of the three germ layers: ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm. The ectoderm gives rise to the nervous system, epidermis and various neural crest-derived tissues, the endoderm goes on to form the gastrointestinal, respiratory and urinary systems as well as many endocrine glands, and the mesoderm will form the notochord, axial skeleton, cartilage, connective tissue, trunk muscles, kidneys and blood. Classic experiments in amphibian embryos revealed the tissue interactions involved in germ layer formation and provided the groundwork for the identification of secreted and intracellular factors involved in this process. We will begin this review by summarising the key findings of those studies. We will then evaluate them in the light of more recent genetic studies that helped clarify which of the previously identified factors are required for germ layer formation in vivo, and to what extent the mechanisms identified in amphibians are conserved across other vertebrate species. Collectively, these studies have started to reveal the gene regulatory network (GRN) underlying vertebrate germ layer specification and we will conclude our review by providing examples how our understanding of this GRN can be employed to differentiate stem cells in a targeted fashion for therapeutic purposes.
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23
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van Boxtel AL, Chesebro JE, Heliot C, Ramel MC, Stone RK, Hill CS. A Temporal Window for Signal Activation Dictates the Dimensions of a Nodal Signaling Domain. Dev Cell 2015; 35:175-85. [PMID: 26506307 PMCID: PMC4640439 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2015.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 09/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Morphogen signaling is critical for the growth and patterning of tissues in embryos and adults, but how morphogen signaling gradients are generated in tissues remains controversial. The morphogen Nodal was proposed to form a long-range signaling gradient via a reaction-diffusion system, on the basis of differential diffusion rates of Nodal and its antagonist Lefty. Here we use a specific zebrafish Nodal biosensor combined with immunofluorescence for phosphorylated Smad2 to demonstrate that endogenous Nodal is unlikely to diffuse over a long range. Instead, short-range Nodal signaling activation in a temporal window is sufficient to determine the dimensions of the Nodal signaling domain. The size of this temporal window is set by the differentially timed production of Nodal and Lefty, which arises mainly from repression of Lefty translation by the microRNA miR-430. Thus, temporal information is transformed into spatial information to define the dimensions of the Nodal signaling domain and, consequently, to specify mesendoderm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonius L van Boxtel
- Developmental Signalling, The Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LY, UK
| | - John E Chesebro
- Developmental Signalling, The Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LY, UK
| | - Claire Heliot
- Developmental Signalling, The Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LY, UK
| | - Marie-Christine Ramel
- Developmental Signalling, The Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LY, UK
| | - Richard K Stone
- Experimental Histopathology, The Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LY, UK
| | - Caroline S Hill
- Developmental Signalling, The Francis Crick Institute, Lincoln's Inn Fields Laboratory, 44 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LY, UK.
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24
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Xiong C, Liu X, Meng A. The Kinase Activity-deficient Isoform of the Protein Araf Antagonizes Ras/Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (Ras/MAPK) Signaling in the Zebrafish Embryo. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:25512-21. [PMID: 26306042 PMCID: PMC4646197 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.676726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Revised: 08/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Raf kinases are important components of the Ras-Raf-Mek-Erk pathway and also cross-talk with other signaling pathways. Araf kinase has been demonstrated to inhibit TGF-β/Smad2 signaling by directly phosphorylating and accelerating degradation of activated Smad2. In this study, we show that the araf gene expresses in zebrafish embryos to produce a shorter transcript variant, araf-tv2, in addition to the full-length variant araf-tv1. araf-tv2 is predicted to encode a C-terminally truncated peptide without the kinase activity domain. Araf-tv2 can physically associate with Araf-tv1 but does not antagonize the inhibitory effect of Araf-tv1 on TGF-β/Smad2 signaling. Instead, Araf-tv2 interacts strongly with Kras and Nras, ultimately blocking MAPK activation by these Ras proteins. In zebrafish embryos, overexpression of araf-tv2 is sufficient to inhibit Fgf/Ras-promoted Erk activation, mesodermal induction, dorsal development, and neuroectodermal posteriorization. Therefore, different isoforms of Araf may participate in similar developmental processes but by regulating different signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Xiong
- From the State-Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, China
| | - Xingfeng Liu
- From the State-Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, China
| | - Anming Meng
- From the State-Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, China
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25
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Ellis PS, Burbridge S, Soubes S, Ohyama K, Ben-Haim N, Chen C, Dale K, Shen MM, Constam D, Placzek M. ProNodal acts via FGFR3 to govern duration of Shh expression in the prechordal mesoderm. Development 2015; 142:3821-32. [PMID: 26417042 PMCID: PMC4712875 DOI: 10.1242/dev.119628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The secreted glycoprotein sonic hedgehog (Shh) is expressed in the prechordal mesoderm, where it plays a crucial role in induction and patterning of the ventral forebrain. Currently little is known about how Shh is regulated in prechordal tissue. Here we show that in the embryonic chick, Shh is expressed transiently in prechordal mesoderm, and is governed by unprocessed Nodal. Exposure of prechordal mesoderm microcultures to Nodal-conditioned medium, the Nodal inhibitor CerS, or to an ALK4/5/7 inhibitor reveals that Nodal is required to maintain both Shh and Gsc expression, but whereas Gsc is largely maintained through canonical signalling, Nodal signals through a non-canonical route to maintain Shh. Further, Shh expression can be maintained by a recombinant Nodal cleavage mutant, proNodal, but not by purified mature Nodal. A number of lines of evidence suggest that proNodal acts via FGFR3. ProNodal and FGFR3 co-immunoprecipitate and proNodal increases FGFR3 tyrosine phosphorylation. In microcultures, soluble FGFR3 abolishes Shh without affecting Gsc expression. Further, prechordal mesoderm cells in which Fgfr3 expression is reduced by Fgfr3 siRNA fail to bind to proNodal. Finally, targeted electroporation of Fgfr3 siRNA to prechordal mesoderm in vivo results in premature Shh downregulation without affecting Gsc. We report an inverse correlation between proNodal-FGFR3 signalling and pSmad1/5/8, and show that proNodal-FGFR3 signalling antagonises BMP-mediated pSmad1/5/8 signalling, which is poised to downregulate Shh. Our studies suggest that proNodal/FGFR3 signalling governs Shh duration by repressing canonical BMP signalling, and that local BMPs rapidly silence Shh once endogenous Nodal-FGFR3 signalling is downregulated. Highlighted article: In the chick prechordal mesoderm, the Nodal precursor proNodal acts via a non-canonical route to inhibit BMP signalling and thus maintain Shh expression
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela S Ellis
- The Bateson Centre and Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Sarah Burbridge
- The Bateson Centre and Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Sandrine Soubes
- The Bateson Centre and Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Kyoji Ohyama
- The Bateson Centre and Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Nadav Ben-Haim
- ISREC, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Epalinges CH 1066, Switzerland
| | - Canhe Chen
- Departments of Medicine and Genetics & Development, Columbia University Medical Center, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1130 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY 10032, USA Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Kim Dale
- College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Michael M Shen
- Departments of Medicine and Genetics & Development, Columbia University Medical Center, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1130 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Daniel Constam
- ISREC, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Epalinges CH 1066, Switzerland
| | - Marysia Placzek
- The Bateson Centre and Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
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26
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Tuazon FB, Mullins MC. Temporally coordinated signals progressively pattern the anteroposterior and dorsoventral body axes. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2015; 42:118-33. [PMID: 26123688 PMCID: PMC4562868 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2015.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate body plan is established through the precise spatiotemporal coordination of morphogen signaling pathways that pattern the anteroposterior (AP) and dorsoventral (DV) axes. Patterning along the AP axis is directed by posteriorizing signals Wnt, fibroblast growth factor (FGF), Nodal, and retinoic acid (RA), while patterning along the DV axis is directed by bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) ventralizing signals. This review addresses the current understanding of how Wnt, FGF, RA and BMP pattern distinct AP and DV cell fates during early development and how their signaling mechanisms are coordinated to concomitantly pattern AP and DV tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca B Tuazon
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, 1152 BRBII/III, 421 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6058, United States
| | - Mary C Mullins
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, 1152 BRBII/III, 421 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6058, United States.
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27
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Röttinger E, DuBuc TQ, Amiel AR, Martindale MQ. Nodal signaling is required for mesodermal and ventral but not for dorsal fates in the indirect developing hemichordate, Ptychodera flava. Biol Open 2015; 4:830-42. [PMID: 25979707 PMCID: PMC4571091 DOI: 10.1242/bio.011809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Nodal signaling plays crucial roles in vertebrate developmental processes such as endoderm and mesoderm formation, and axial patterning events along the anteroposterior, dorsoventral and left-right axes. In echinoderms, Nodal plays an essential role in the establishment of the dorsoventral axis and left-right asymmetry, but not in endoderm or mesoderm induction. In protostomes, Nodal signaling appears to be involved only in establishing left-right asymmetry. Hence, it is hypothesized that Nodal signaling has been co-opted to pattern the dorsoventral axis of deuterostomes and for endoderm, mesoderm formation as well as anteroposterior patterning in chordates. Hemichordata, together with echinoderms, represent the sister taxon to chordates. In this study, we analyze the role of Nodal signaling in the indirect developing hemichordate Ptychodera flava. In particular, we show that during gastrulation nodal transcripts are detected in a ring of cells at the vegetal pole that gives rise to endomesoderm and in the ventral ectoderm at later stages of development. Inhibition of Nodal function disrupts dorsoventral fates and also blocks formation of the larval mesoderm. Interestingly, molecular analysis reveals that only mesodermal, apical and ventral gene expression is affected while the dorsal side appears to be patterned correctly. Taken together, this study suggests that the co-option of Nodal signaling in mesoderm formation and potentially in anteroposterior patterning has occurred prior to the emergence of chordates and that Nodal signaling on the ventral side is uncoupled from BMP signaling on the dorsal side, representing a major difference from the molecular mechanisms of dorsoventral patterning events in echinoderms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Röttinger
- Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, IRCAN, UMR 7284, 06107 Nice, France CNRS, IRCAN, UMR 7284, 06107 Nice, France INSERM, IRCAN, U1081, 06107 Nice, France
| | - Timothy Q DuBuc
- The Whitney Marine Laboratory for Marine Science, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080-8610, USA
| | - Aldine R Amiel
- Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, IRCAN, UMR 7284, 06107 Nice, France CNRS, IRCAN, UMR 7284, 06107 Nice, France INSERM, IRCAN, U1081, 06107 Nice, France
| | - Mark Q Martindale
- The Whitney Marine Laboratory for Marine Science, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080-8610, USA
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28
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Li J, Yue Y, Dong X, Jia W, Li K, Liang D, Dong Z, Wang X, Nan X, Zhang Q, Zhao Q. Zebrafish foxc1a plays a crucial role in early somitogenesis by restricting the expression of aldh1a2 directly. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:10216-28. [PMID: 25724646 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m114.612572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Foxc1a is a member of the forkhead transcription factors. It plays an essential role in zebrafish somitogenesis. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying its controlling somitogenesis. To uncover how foxc1a regulates zebrafish somitogenesis, we generated foxc1a knock-out zebrafish using TALEN (transcription activator-like effector nuclease) technology. The foxc1a null embryos exhibited defective somites at early development. Analyses on the expressions of the key genes that control processes of somitogenesis revealed that foxc1a controlled early somitogenesis by regulating the expression of myod1. In the somites of foxc1a knock-out embryos, expressions of fgf8a and deltaC were abolished, whereas the expression of aldh1a2 (responsible for providing retinoic acid signaling) was significantly increased. Once the increased retinoic acid level in the foxc1a null embryos was reduced by knocking down aldh1a2, the reduced expression of myod1 was partially rescued by resuming expressions of fgf8a and deltaC in the somites of the mutant embryos. Moreover, a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay on zebrafish embryos revealed that Foxc1a bound aldh1a2 promoter directly. On the other hand, neither knocking down fgf8a nor inhibiting Notch signaling affected the expression of aldh1a2, although knocking down fgf8a reduced expression of deltaC in the somites of zebrafish embryos at early somitogenesis and vice versa. Taken together, our results demonstrate that foxc1a plays an essential role in early somitogenesis by controlling Fgf and Notch signaling through restricting the expression of aldh1a2 in paraxial mesoderm directly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyun Li
- From the MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China and the Maternal and Child Health Medical Institute, Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Yunyun Yue
- From the MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China and
| | - Xiaohua Dong
- From the MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China and
| | - Wenshuang Jia
- From the MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China and
| | - Kui Li
- From the MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China and
| | - Dong Liang
- From the MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China and
| | - Zhangji Dong
- From the MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China and
| | - Xiaoxiao Wang
- From the MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China and
| | - Xiaoxi Nan
- From the MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China and
| | - Qinxin Zhang
- From the MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China and
| | - Qingshun Zhao
- From the MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China and
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29
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Wilkinson RN, van Eeden FJ. The Zebrafish as a Model of Vascular Development and Disease. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2014; 124:93-122. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-386930-2.00005-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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30
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Wu Q, Kanata K, Saba R, Deng CX, Hamada H, Saga Y. Nodal/activin signaling promotes male germ cell fate and suppresses female programming in somatic cells. Development 2012; 140:291-300. [PMID: 23221368 DOI: 10.1242/dev.087882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Testicular development in the mouse is triggered in somatic cells by the function of Sry followed by the activation of fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9), which regulates testicular differentiation in both somatic and germ cells. However, the mechanism is unknown. We show here that the nodal/activin signaling pathway is activated in both male germ cells and somatic cells. Disruption of nodal/activin signaling drives male germ cells into meiosis and causes ectopic initiation of female-specific genes in somatic cells. Furthermore, we prove that nodal/activin-A works directly on male germ cells to induce the male-specific gene Nanos2 independently of FGF9. We conclude that nodal/activin signaling is required for testicular development and propose a model in which nodal/activin-A acts downstream of fibroblast growth factor signaling to promote male germ cell fate and protect somatic cells from initiating female differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Wu
- Department of Genetics, SOKENDAI, Yata 1111, Mishima 411-8540, Japan
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31
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Khan A, Nakamoto A, Tai M, Saito S, Nakayama Y, Kawamura A, Takeda H, Yamasu K. Mesendoderm specification depends on the function of Pou2, the class V POU-type transcription factor, during zebrafish embryogenesis. Dev Growth Differ 2012; 54:686-701. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-169x.2012.01369.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2012] [Revised: 07/12/2012] [Accepted: 07/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alam Khan
- Division of Life Science; Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University; Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku; Saitama City; Saitama; 338-8570; Japan
| | - Andrew Nakamoto
- Division of Life Science; Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University; Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku; Saitama City; Saitama; 338-8570; Japan
| | - Miyako Tai
- Division of Life Science; Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University; Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku; Saitama City; Saitama; 338-8570; Japan
| | - Shinji Saito
- Division of Life Science; Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University; Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku; Saitama City; Saitama; 338-8570; Japan
| | - Yukiko Nakayama
- Division of Life Science; Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University; Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku; Saitama City; Saitama; 338-8570; Japan
| | - Akinori Kawamura
- Division of Life Science; Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University; Shimo-Okubo, Sakura-ku; Saitama City; Saitama; 338-8570; Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Takeda
- Department of Biological Sciences; Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo; Hongo; Bunkyo-ku; Tokyo; 113-0033; Japan
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Tseng WF, Jang TH, Huang CB, Yuh CH. An evolutionarily conserved kernel of gata5, gata6, otx2 and prdm1a operates in the formation of endoderm in zebrafish. Dev Biol 2011; 357:541-57. [PMID: 21756893 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.06.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2011] [Revised: 06/09/2011] [Accepted: 06/23/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
An evolutionarily conserved subcircuit (kernel) dedicated to a specific developmental function is found at the top of the gene regulatory networks (GRNs) hierarchy. Here we comprehensively demonstrate that a pan-deuterostome endoderm specification kernel exists in zebrafish. We analyzed interactions among gata5, gata6, otx2 and prdm1a using specific morpholino knockdowns and measured the gene expression profiles by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. The mRNA rescue experiment validated the specificity of the morpholino knockdown. We found that the interactions among gata5, gata6, otx2 and prdm1a determine the initial specification of the zebrafish endoderm. Although otx2 can activate both gata5 and gata6, and the prdm1a/krox homologue also activates some endoderm transcription factors, a feedback loop from Gata to otx2 and prdm1a is missing. Furthermore, we found the positive regulation between gata5 and gata6 to further lock-on the mesendoderm specification by the Gata family. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to further validate the recruitment of Otx2 to the gata5 and gata6 loci. Functional assays revealed that module B of gata6 and the basal promoter of gata5 drive the gene at the mesendoderm, and mutational analysis demonstrated that Otx2 and Gata5/6 contribute to reporter gene activation. This is the first direct evidence for evolutionarily conserved endoderm specification across echinoderms and vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Fang Tseng
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan Town, Miaoli County 350, Taiwan, ROC
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Tschopp P, Duboule D. A regulatory 'landscape effect' over the HoxD cluster. Dev Biol 2010; 351:288-96. [PMID: 21195707 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.12.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2010] [Revised: 12/17/2010] [Accepted: 12/20/2010] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Faithful expression of Hox genes in both time and space is essential for proper patterning of the primary body axis. Transgenic approaches in vertebrates have suggested that this collinear activation process is regulated in a largely gene cluster-autonomous manner. In contrast, more recently co-opted expression specificities, required in other embryonic structures, depend upon long-range enhancer sequences acting from outside the gene clusters. This regulatory dichotomy was recently questioned, since gene activation along the trunk seems to be partially regulated by signals located outside of the cluster. We investigated these alternative regulatory strategies by engineering a large inversion that precisely separates the murine HoxD complex from its centromeric neighborhood. Mutant animals displayed posterior transformations along with subtle deregulations of Hoxd genes, indicating an impact of the centromeric landscape on the fine-tuning of Hoxd gene expression. Proximal limbs were also affected, suggesting that this 'landscape effect' is generic and impacts upon regulatory mechanisms of various qualities and evolutionary origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Tschopp
- National Research Centre-Frontiers in Genetics, Department of Zoology and Animal Biology, University of Geneva, Sciences III, Quai Ernest-Ansermet 30, Geneva, Switzerland
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Villegas SN, Canham M, Brickman JM. FGF signalling as a mediator of lineage transitions--evidence from embryonic stem cell differentiation. J Cell Biochem 2010; 110:10-20. [PMID: 20336694 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.22536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling pathway is one of the most ubiquitous in biology. It has diverse roles in development, differentiation and cancer. Embryonic stem (ES) cells are in vitro cell lines capable of differentiating into all the lineages of the conceptus. As such they have the capacity to differentiate into derivatives of all three germ layers and to some extent the extra-embryonic lineages as well. Given the prominent role of FGF signalling in early embryonic development, we explore the role of this pathway in early ES cell differentiation towards the major lineages of the embryo. As early embryonic differentiation is intricately choreographed at the level of morphogenetic movement, adherent ES cell culture affords a unique opportunity to study the basic steps in early lineage specification in the absence of ever shifting complex in vivo microenvironments. Thus recent experiments in ES cell differentiation are able to pinpoint specific FGF dependent lineage transitions that are difficult to resolve in vivo. Here we review the role of FGF signalling in early development alongside the ES cell data and suggest that FGF dependent signalling via phospho-Erk activation maybe a major mediator of transitions in lineage specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Nahuel Villegas
- Institute for Stem Cell Research, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, King's Buildings, West Mains Rd., Edinburgh EH9 3JQ, UK
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Kwon HJ, Riley BB. Mesendodermal signals required for otic induction: Bmp-antagonists cooperate with Fgf and can facilitate formation of ectopic otic tissue. Dev Dyn 2009; 238:1582-94. [PMID: 19418450 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.21955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Induction of otic placodes requires Fgf from surrounding tissues. We tested the hypothesis that mesendodermally derived Bmp-antagonists Chordin, Follistatin-a, and Crossveinless-2 cooperate in this process. Injecting morpholinos for all three genes, or treatment with the Nodal inhibitor SB431542 to block mesoderm-formation, reduces otic induction and strongly enhances the effects of disrupting fgf3 or fgf8. In contrast, using a lower dose of SB431542, combined with partial loss of Fgf, causes a dramatic medial expansion of otic tissue and formation of a single, large otic vesicle spanning the width of the hindbrain. Under these conditions, paraxial cephalic mesoderm forms ectopically at the midline, migrates into the head, and later transfates to form otic tissue beneath the hindbrain. Blocking expression of Bmp-antagonists blocks formation of medial otic tissue. These data show the importance of mesendodermal Bmp-antagonists for otic induction and that paraxial cephalic mesendoderm can facilitate its own otic differentiation under certain circumstances. Developmental Dynamics 238:1582-1594, 2009. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Joo Kwon
- Biology Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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37
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Maurus D, Harris WA. Zic-associated holoprosencephaly: zebrafish Zic1 controls midline formation and forebrain patterning by regulating Nodal, Hedgehog, and retinoic acid signaling. Genes Dev 2009; 23:1461-73. [PMID: 19528322 DOI: 10.1101/gad.517009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is the most frequently observed human embryonic forebrain defect. Recent evidence indicates that the two major forms of HPE, classic HPE and midline interhemispheric (MIH) HPE, are elicited by two different mechanisms. The only gene known to be associated with both forms of HPE is Zic2. We used the zebrafish Danio rerio as a model system to study Zic knockdown during midline formation by looking at the close homolog Zic1, which is expressed in an overlapping fashion with Zic2. Zic1 knockdown in zebrafish leads to a strong midline defect including partial cyclopia due to attenuated Nodal and Hedgehog signaling in the anterior ventral diencephalon. Strikingly, we were able to show that Zic1 is also required for maintaining early forebrain expression of the retinoic acid (RA)-degrading enzyme cyp26a1. Zic1 LOF leads to increased RA levels in the forebrain, subsequent ventralization of the optic vesicle and down-regulation of genes involved in dorsal BMP signaling. Repression of BMP signaling in dorsal forebrain has been implicated in causing MIH HPE. This work provides a mechanistical explanation at the molecular level of why Zic factors are associated with both major forms of HPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Maurus
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
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Acloque H, Adams MS, Fishwick K, Bronner-Fraser M, Nieto MA. Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions: the importance of changing cell state in development and disease. J Clin Invest 2009; 119:1438-49. [PMID: 19487820 DOI: 10.1172/jci38019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1015] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The events that convert adherent epithelial cells into individual migratory cells that can invade the extracellular matrix are known collectively as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Throughout evolution, the capacity of cells to switch between these two cellular states has been fundamental in the generation of complex body patterns. Here, we review the EMT events that build the embryo and further discuss two prototypical processes governed by EMT in amniotes: gastrulation and neural crest formation. Cells undergo EMT to migrate and colonize distant territories. Not surprisingly, this is also the mechanism used by cancer cells to disperse throughout the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hervé Acloque
- Instituto de Neurociencias (CSIC-UMH), San Juan de Alicante, Spain
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Acloque H, Adams MS, Fishwick K, Bronner-Fraser M, Nieto MA. Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions: the importance of changing cell state in development and disease. J Clin Invest 2009. [PMID: 19487820 DOI: 10.1172/jci38019.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The events that convert adherent epithelial cells into individual migratory cells that can invade the extracellular matrix are known collectively as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Throughout evolution, the capacity of cells to switch between these two cellular states has been fundamental in the generation of complex body patterns. Here, we review the EMT events that build the embryo and further discuss two prototypical processes governed by EMT in amniotes: gastrulation and neural crest formation. Cells undergo EMT to migrate and colonize distant territories. Not surprisingly, this is also the mechanism used by cancer cells to disperse throughout the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hervé Acloque
- Instituto de Neurociencias (CSIC-UMH), San Juan de Alicante, Spain
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40
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Concha ML, Signore IA, Colombo A. Mechanisms of directional asymmetry in the zebrafish epithalamus. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2009; 20:498-509. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2008.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2008] [Accepted: 11/04/2008] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Hansson M, Olesen DR, Peterslund JML, Engberg N, Kahn M, Winzi M, Klein T, Maddox-Hyttel P, Serup P. A late requirement for Wnt and FGF signaling during activin-induced formation of foregut endoderm from mouse embryonic stem cells. Dev Biol 2009; 330:286-304. [PMID: 19358838 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2009.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2008] [Revised: 03/18/2009] [Accepted: 03/30/2009] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Here we examine how BMP, Wnt, and FGF signaling modulate activin-induced mesendodermal differentiation of mouse ES cells grown under defined conditions in adherent monoculture. We monitor ES cells containing reporter genes for markers of primitive streak (PS) and its progeny and extend previous findings on the ability of increasing concentrations of activin to progressively induce more ES cell progeny to anterior PS and endodermal fates. We find that the number of Sox17- and Gsc-expressing cells increases with increasing activin concentration while the highest number of T-expressing cells is found at the lowest activin concentration. The expression of Gsc and other anterior markers induced by activin is prevented by treatment with BMP4, which induces T expression and subsequent mesodermal development. We show that canonical Wnt signaling is required only during late stages of activin-induced development of Sox17-expressing endodermal cells. Furthermore, Dkk1 treatment is less effective in reducing development of Sox17(+) endodermal cells in adherent culture than in aggregate culture and appears to inhibit nodal-mediated induction of Sox17(+) cells more effectively than activin-mediated induction. Notably, activin induction of Gsc-GFP(+) cells appears refractory to inhibition of canonical Wnt signaling but shows a dependence on early as well as late FGF signaling. Additionally, we find a late dependence on FGF signaling during induction of Sox17(+) cells by activin while BMP4-induced T expression requires FGF signaling in adherent but not aggregate culture. Lastly, we demonstrate that activin-induced definitive endoderm derived from mouse ES cells can incorporate into the developing foregut endoderm in vivo and adopt a mostly anterior foregut character after further culture in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattias Hansson
- Department of Developmental Biology, Hagedorn Research Institute, Niels Steensens Vej 6, DK-2820 Gentofte, Denmark
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Branney PA, Faas L, Steane SE, Pownall ME, Isaacs HV. Characterisation of the fibroblast growth factor dependent transcriptome in early development. PLoS One 2009; 4:e4951. [PMID: 19333377 PMCID: PMC2659300 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2008] [Accepted: 02/26/2009] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background FGF signaling has multiple roles in regulating processes in animal development, including the specification and patterning of the mesoderm. In addition, FGF signaling supports self renewal of human embryonic stem cells and is required for differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells into a number of lineages. Methodology/Principal Findings Given the importance of FGF signaling in regulating development and stem cell behaviour, we aimed to identify the transcriptional targets of FGF signalling during early development in the vertebrate model Xenopus laevis. We analysed the effects on gene expression in embryos in which FGF signaling was inhibited by dominant negative FGF receptors. 67 genes positively regulated by FGF signaling and 16 genes negatively regulated by FGF signaling were identified. FGF target genes are expressed in distinct waves during the late blastula to early gastrula phase. Many of these genes are expressed in the early mesoderm and dorsal ectoderm. A widespread requirement for FGF in regulating genes expressed in the Spemann organizer is revealed. The FGF targets MKP1 and DUSP5 are shown to be negative regulators of FGF signaling in early Xenopus tissues. FoxD3 and Lin28, which are involved in regulating pluripotency in ES cells are shown to be down regulated when FGF signaling is blocked. Conclusions We have undertaken a detailed analysis of FGF target genes which has generated a robust, well validated data set. We have found a widespread role for FGF signaling in regulating the expression of genes mediating the function of the Spemann organizer. In addition, we have found that the FGF targets MKP1 and DUSP5 are likely to contribute to the complex feedback loops involved in modulating responses to FGF signaling. We also find a link between FGF signaling and the expression of known regulators of pluripotency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Faas
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah E. Steane
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | | | - Harry V. Isaacs
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Tschopp P, Tarchini B, Spitz F, Zakany J, Duboule D. Uncoupling time and space in the collinear regulation of Hox genes. PLoS Genet 2009; 5:e1000398. [PMID: 19266017 PMCID: PMC2642670 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2008] [Accepted: 01/30/2009] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
During development of the vertebrate body axis, Hox genes are transcribed sequentially, in both time and space, following their relative positions within their genomic clusters. Analyses of animal genomes support the idea that Hox gene clustering is essential for coordinating the various times of gene activations. However, the eventual collinear ordering of the gene specific transcript domains in space does not always require genomic clustering. We analyzed these complex regulatory relationships by using mutant alleles at the mouse HoxD locus, including one that splits the cluster into two pieces. We show that both positive and negative regulatory influences, located on either side of the cluster, control an early phase of collinear expression in the trunk. Interestingly, this early phase does not systematically impact upon the subsequent expression patterns along the main body axis, indicating that the mechanism underlying temporal collinearity is distinct from those acting during the second phase. We discuss the potential functions and evolutionary origins of these mechanisms, as well as their relationship with similar processes at work during limb development. Hox genes encode proteins that control embryonic development along the head-to-tail axis. These genes are clustered in one site on the chromosome and their respective positions within the cluster determine their time and place of activation. Here, by using a large set of targeted mutations disturbing the integrity of the gene cluster, we show that the spatial organization of expression domains does not directly depend upon the timing of activation as was previously suggested. This uncoupling between space and time in the regulation of these Hox genes coincides with the existence of two major phases of regulation. The first is time-dependent and involves global regulatory influences, located outside the gene cluster, whereas the second relies upon more local regulatory elements, likely interspersed between the genes, inside the cluster. These results provide the bases for future analyses of collinear mechanisms and indicate that different types of collinearities are not necessarily related, neither in function, nor in their evolutionary histories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Tschopp
- National Research Centre “Frontiers in Genetics”, Department of Zoology and Animal Biology, University of Geneva, Sciences III, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Basile Tarchini
- National Research Centre “Frontiers in Genetics”, Department of Zoology and Animal Biology, University of Geneva, Sciences III, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - François Spitz
- National Research Centre “Frontiers in Genetics”, Department of Zoology and Animal Biology, University of Geneva, Sciences III, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jozsef Zakany
- National Research Centre “Frontiers in Genetics”, Department of Zoology and Animal Biology, University of Geneva, Sciences III, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Denis Duboule
- National Research Centre “Frontiers in Genetics”, Department of Zoology and Animal Biology, University of Geneva, Sciences III, Geneva, Switzerland
- School of Life Sciences, Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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Le Quéré H, Herpin A, Huvet A, Lelong C, Favrel P. Structural and functional characterizations of an Activin type II receptor orthologue from the pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Gene 2009; 436:101-7. [PMID: 19393178 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2009.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2008] [Revised: 12/30/2008] [Accepted: 01/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Members of the Transforming Growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily of cell signalling polypeptides are known to play important roles in cell proliferation and differentiation during development and in various physiological processes of most animal clades. Recent findings in the mollusc Crassostrea gigas demonstrate the occurrence of a diversity of TGF-beta signalling components including various ligands, three type I receptors but only a single type II receptor. This report describes the characterization of Cg-ActRII, a new type II receptor displaying homology with vertebrate and Drosophila Activin type II receptors. The use of zebrafish embryo as a reporter organism revealed that, in a way similar to its zebrafish counterpart, overexpression of Cg-ActRII or its dominant negative acting truncated form resulted in a dose dependent range of dorsoventral defects coupled with anterior disorders. Expression pattern of Cg-ActRII transcripts examined by real time PCR and in situ PCR in C. gigas showed high levels of Cg-ActRII transcripts in early embryonic stages and in the developing larval central nervous system. Except for a high expression in the visceral ganglia, most oyster adult tissues displayed rather low levels of transcripts. Altogether, the data suggest a high degree of conservation at both the structural and functional levels during evolution for this class of receptors.
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Geske MJ, Zhang X, Patel KK, Ornitz DM, Stappenbeck TS. Fgf9 signaling regulates small intestinal elongation and mesenchymal development. Development 2008; 135:2959-68. [PMID: 18653563 DOI: 10.1242/dev.020453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Short bowel syndrome is an acquired condition in which the length of the small intestine is insufficient to perform its normal absorptive function. Current therapies are limited as the developmental mechanisms that normally regulate elongation of the small intestine are poorly understood. Here, we identify Fgf9 as an important epithelial-to-mesenchymal signal required for proper small intestinal morphogenesis. Mouse embryos that lack either Fgf9 or the mesenchymal receptors for Fgf9 contained a disproportionately shortened small intestine, decreased mesenchymal proliferation, premature differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and significantly elevated Tgfbeta signaling. These findings suggest that Fgf9 normally functions to repress Tgfbeta signaling in these cells. In vivo, a small subset of mesenchymal cells expressed phospho-Erk and the secreted Tgfbeta inhibitors Fst and Fstl1 in an Fgf9-dependent fashion. The p-Erk/Fst/Fstl1-expressing cells were most consistent with intestinal mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs). We found that isolated iMSCs expressed p-Erk, Fst and Fstl1, and could repress the differentiation of intestinal myofibroblasts in co-culture. These data suggest a model in which epithelial-derived Fgf9 stimulates iMSCs that in turn regulate underlying mesenchymal fibroblast proliferation and differentiation at least in part through inhibition of Tgfbeta signaling in the mesenchyme. Taken together, the interaction of FGF and TGFbeta signaling pathways in the intestinal mesenchyme could represent novel targets for future short bowel syndrome therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Geske
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
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46
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Krens SG, He S, Lamers GE, Meijer AH, Bakkers J, Schmidt T, Spaink HP, Snaar-Jagalska BE. Distinct functions for ERK1 and ERK2 in cell migration processes during zebrafish gastrulation. Dev Biol 2008; 319:370-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2008.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2008] [Revised: 04/11/2008] [Accepted: 04/28/2008] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Krens SFG, Corredor-Adámez M, He S, Snaar-Jagalska BE, Spaink HP. ERK1 and ERK2 MAPK are key regulators of distinct gene sets in zebrafish embryogenesis. BMC Genomics 2008; 9:196. [PMID: 18442396 PMCID: PMC2390552 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-9-196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2007] [Accepted: 04/28/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The MAPK signaling proteins are involved in many eukaryotic cellular processes and signaling networks. However, specific functions of most of these proteins in vertebrate development remain elusive because of potential redundancies. For instance, the upstream activation pathways for ERK1 and ERK2 are highly similar, and also many of their known downstream targets are common. In contrast, mice and zebrafish studies indicate distinct roles for both ERKs in cellular proliferation, oncogenic transformation and development. A major bottleneck for further studies is that relatively little is known of in vivo downstream signaling specific for these kinases. Results Microarray based gene expression profiling of ERK1 and ERK2 knockdown zebrafish embryos at various stages of early embryogenesis resulted in specific gene expression signature sets that showed pronounced differences in gene ontology analyses. In order to predict functions of these genes, zebrafish specific in silico signaling pathways involved in early embryogenesis were constructed using the GenMAPP program. The obtained transcriptome signatures were analyzed in the BMP, FGF, Nodal and Wnt pathways. Predicted downstream effects of ERK1 and ERK2 knockdown treatments on key pathways responsible for mesendoderm development were confirmed by whole mount in situ hybridization experiments. Conclusion The gene ontology analyses showed that ERK1 and ERK2 target common and distinct gene sets, confirming the difference in knockdown phenotypes and diverse roles for these kinases during embryogenesis. For ERK1 we identified specific genes involved in dorsal-ventral patterning and subsequent embryonic cell migration. For ERK2 we identified genes involved in cell-migration, mesendoderm differentiation and patterning. The specific function of ERK2 in the initiation, maintenance and patterning of mesoderm and endoderm formation was biologically confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- S F Gabby Krens
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Shook DR, Keller R. Morphogenic machines evolve more rapidly than the signals that pattern them: lessons from amphibians. J Exp Zool B Mol Dev Evol 2008; 310:111-35. [PMID: 18041048 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.21204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The induction of mesoderm and the patterning of its dorsal-ventral and anterior-posterior axes seems to be relatively conserved throughout the chordates, as do the morphogenic movements that produce a phylotypic stage embryo. What is not conserved is the initial embryonic architecture of the fertilized egg, and the specific cell behaviors used to drive mesoderm morphogenesis. How then do conserved patterning pathways adapt to diverse architectures and where do they diverge to direct the different cell behaviors used to shape the phylotypic body plan? Amphibians in particular, probably because of their broad range of reproductive strategies, show diverse embryonic architectures across their class and use diverse cell behaviors during their early morphogenesis, making them an interesting comparative group. We examine three examples from our work on amphibians that show variations in the use of cell behaviors to drive the morphogenesis of the same tissues. We also consider possible points where the conserved patterning pathways might diverge to produce different cell behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Shook
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4328, USA.
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Matsui H, Sakabe M, Sakata H, Yanagawa N, Ikeda K, Yamagishi T, Nakajima Y. Induction of initial heart α-actin, smooth muscle α-actin, in chick pregastrula epiblast: The role of hypoblast and fibroblast growth factor-8. Dev Growth Differ 2008; 50:143-57. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-169x.2008.00987.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Abstract
Mesodermal tissues arise from diverse cell lineages and molecular strategies in the Ciona embryo. For example, the notochord and mesenchyme are induced by FGF/MAPK signaling, whereas the tail muscles are specified autonomously by the localized determinant, Macho-1. A unique mesoderm lineage, the trunk lateral cells, develop from a single pair of endomesoderm cells, the A6.3 blastomeres, which form part of the anterior endoderm, hematopoietic mesoderm and muscle derivatives. MAPK signaling is active in the endoderm descendants of A6.3, but is absent from the mesoderm lineage. Inhibition of MAPK signaling results in expanded expression of mesoderm marker genes and loss of endoderm markers, whereas ectopic MAPK activation produces the opposite phenotype: the transformation of mesoderm into endoderm. Evidence is presented that a specific Ephrin signaling molecule, Ci-ephrin-Ad, is required to establish asymmetric MAPK signaling in the endomesoderm. Reducing Ci-ephrin-Ad activity via morpholino injection results in ectopic MAPK signaling and conversion of the mesoderm lineage into endoderm. Conversely, misexpression of Ci-ephrin-Ad in the endoderm induces ectopic activation of mesodermal marker genes. These results extend recent observations regarding the role of Ephrin signaling in the establishment of asymmetric cell fates in the Ciona notochord and neural tube.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyang Shi
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Division of Genetics, Genomics and Development, Center for Integrative Genomics, University of California-Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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