Deletion of GLI3 supports the homology of the human Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome (GCPS) and the mouse mutant extra toes (Xt)

Mutations in mouse Aristaless-like4 cause Strong's luxoid polydactyly

Mutations that affect vertebrate limb development provide insight into pattern formation, evolutionary biology and human birth defects. Patterning of the limb axes depends on several interacting signaling centers; one of these, the zone of polarizing activity (ZPA), comprises a group of mesenchymal cells along the posterior aspect of the limb bud that express sonic hedgehog (Shh) and plays a key role in patterning the anterior-posterior (AP) axis. The mechanisms by which the ZPA and Shh expression are confined to the posterior aspect of the limb bud mesenchyme are not well understood. The polydactylous mouse mutant Strong's luxoid (lst) exhibits an ectopic anterior ZPA and expression of Shh that results in the formation of extra anterior digits. Here we describe a new chlorambucil-induced deletion allele, lstAlb, that uncovers the lst locus. Integration of the lst genetic and physical maps suggested the mouse Aristaless-like4 (Alx4) gene, which encodes a paired-type homeodomain protein that plays a role in limb patterning, as a strong molecular candidate for the Strong's luxoid gene. In genetic crosses, the three lst mutant alleles fail to complement an Alx4 gene-targeted allele. Molecular and biochemical characterization of the three lst alleles reveal mutations of the Alx4 gene that result in loss of function. Alx4 haploinsufficiency and the importance of strain-specific modifiers leading to polydactyly are indicative of a critical threshold requirement for Alx4 in a genetic program operating to restrict polarizing activity and Shh expression in the anterior mesenchyme of the limb bud, and suggest that mutations in Alx4 may also underlie human polydactyly.

Limb development: molecular dysmorphology is at hand!

We present a review of limb development integrating current molecular information and selected genetic disorders to illustrate the advances made in this field over the last few years. With this knowledge, clinical geneticists can now begin to consider molecular mechanisms and pathways when investigating patients with limb malformation syndromes.

Expression profile of Gli family members and Shh in normal and mutant mouse limb development

Gli genes represent a small family, encoding zinc-finger proteins of the Krüppel-type. The family consists of Gli(1), Gli2, and Gli3, all of which are expressed in the developing mouse limb bud. To assess the role of the Gli family and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) in mouse limb development, we compared the expression domains of all three Gli genes and of Shh. Although each Gli gene has its own distinct expression pattern in limb buds, at 10.5-11.5 dpc all three genes were found not to be expressed in the posterior region, the presumptive Shh expression domain. This transient mutually exclusive expression suggested a potential interaction between Gli genes and Shh. To address this matter, we analysed the expression of Gli genes and Shh in two polydactyly mouse mutants, Extra toes (Xt) and Hemimelic-extra toes (Hx) which express Shh ectopically in the anterior region of the limb field. Since Xt mice lack Gli3 expression, the ectopic Shh expression is genetically linked to the absence of Gli3. In Hx mice we found a down-regulation of Gli3 in the anterior region of the limb bud. In both mutants Gli2 expression pattern was not altered, whereas Gli1 expression was anteriorly up-regulated adjacent to the ectopic Shh domain. These results strongly suggest a positive regulation of Gli1 by Shh and a negative interaction between Shh and Gli3.

Point mutations in human GLI3 cause Greig syndrome

Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome (GCPS, MIM 175700) is a rare autosomal dominant developmental disorder characterized by craniofacial abnormalities and post-axial and pre-axial polydactyly as well as syndactyly of hands and feet. Human GLI3, located on chromosome 7p13, is a candidate gene for the syndrome because it is interrupted by translocation breakpoints associated with GCPS. Since hemizygosity of 7p13 resulting in complete loss of one copy of GLI3 causes GCPS as well, haploinsufficiency of this gene was implicated as a mechanism to cause this developmental malformation. To determine if point mutations within GLI3 could be responsible for GCPS we describe the genomic sequences at the boundaries of the 15 exons and primer pair sequences for mutation analysis with polymerase chain reaction-based assays of the entire GLI3 coding sequences. In two GCPS cases, both of which did not exhibit obvious cytogenetic rearrangements, point mutations were identified in different domains of the protein, showing for the first time that Greig syndrome can be caused by GLI3 point mutations. In one case a nonsense mutation in exon X generates a stop codon truncating the protein in the C-H link of the first zinc finger. In the second case a missense mutation in exon XIV causes a Pro-->Ser replacement at a position that is conserved among GLI genes from several species altering a potential phosphorylation site.

Evidence for the involvement of the Gli gene family in embryonic mouse lung development

Murine Gli, Gli2, and Gli3 are zinc finger genes related to Drosophila cubitus interuptus, a component of the hedgehog signal transduction pathway. In the embryonic lung, all three Gli genes are strongly expressed at the pseudoglandular stage, in distinct but overlapping domains of the mesoderm. Expression of Gli and Gli3, but not of Gli2, is subsequently downregulated at the canalicular stage, coincident with a decline in the expression of sonic hedgehog (Shh) and the hedgehog receptor gene, patched (Ptc). Overexpression of Shh in the lung results in increased levels of Ptc mRNA. Gli, but not Gli2, is also upregulated, suggesting a differential involvement of the Gli genes in the regulation of Ptc by SHH during lung development. Gli3 is not upregulated by Shh overexpression. However, its importance for lung development is shown by the finding that Gli3XtJ embryos, homozygous for a mutation involving a deletion of the Gli3 gene, have a stereotypic pattern of abnormalities in lung morphogenesis. The pulmonary defects in these embryos, consisting of localized shape changes and size reductions, correlate with normal Gli3 expression. Thus, our data indicate that one of the Gli genes, Gli3, is essential for normal lung development, and that another, Gli, can be placed downstream of Shh signaling in the lung.

Control of cell pattern in the neural tube by the zinc finger transcription factor and oncogene Gli-1

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a putative morphogen secreted by the floor plate and notochord, which specifies the fate of multiple cell types in the ventral aspect of the vertebrate nervous system. Since in Drosophila the actions of Hh have been shown to be transduced by Cubitus interruptus (Ci), a zinc finger transcription factor, we examined whether a vertebrate homolog of this protein can mediate the functions of Shh in the vertebrate nervous system. Here, we demonstrate that expression of Gli-1, one of three vertebrate homologs of Ci, can be induced by Shh in the neural tube. Further, ectopic expression of Gli-1 in the dorsal midbrain and hindbrain of transgenic mice mimics the effects of ectopically expressed Shh-N, leading to the activation of ventral neural tube markers such as Ptc, HNF-3beta, and Shh; to the suppression of dorsal markers such as Pax-3 and AL-1; and to the formation of ectopic dorsal clusters of dopaminergic and serotonergic neurons. These findings demonstrate that GLI-1 can reproduce the cell patterning actions of Shh in the developing nervous system and provide support for the hypothesis that it is a mediator of the Shh signal in vertebrates.

Evidence for genetic control of Sonic hedgehog by Gli3 in mouse limb development

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) expression in the developing limb is associated with the zone of polarising activity (ZPA), and both are restricted to the posterior part of the limb bud. We show that the expression patterns of Shh and Gli3, a member of the Gli-family believed to function in transcriptional control, appear to be mutually exclusive in limb buds of mouse embryos. In the polydactyly mouse mutant extra toes (Xt), possessing a null mutation of Gli3, Shh is additionally expressed in the anterior region of the limb bud. The transcript of Ptc, the putative receptor for Shh protein, can be detected anteriorly as well. Other genes known to be involved in limb outgrowth and patterning, like Fibroblast growth factor (Fgf), Bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp), and Hoxd are misexpressed in relation to the ectopic Shh expression domain in Xt limb buds. This data suggest that Gli3 is a regulator of Shh expression in mouse limb development.

Specific and redundant functions of Gli2 and Gli3 zinc finger genes in skeletal patterning and development

The correct patterning of vertebrate skeletal elements is controlled by inductive interactions. Two vertebrate hedgehog proteins, Sonic hedgehog and Indian hedgehog, have been implicated in skeletal development. During somite differentiation and limb development, Sonic hedgehog functions as an inductive signal from the notochord, floor plate and zone of polarizing activity. Later in skeletogenesis, Indian hedgehog functions as a regulator of chondrogenesis during endochondral ossification. The vertebrate Gli zinc finger proteins are putative transcription factors that respond to Hedgehog signaling. In Drosophila, the Gli homolog cubitus interruptus is required for the activation of hedgehog targets and also functions as a repressor of hedgehog expression. We show here that Gli2 mutant mice exhibit severe skeletal abnormalities including cleft palate, tooth defects, absence of vertebral body and intervertebral discs, and shortened limbs and sternum. Interestingly, Gli2 and Gli3 (C.-c. Hui and A. L. Joyner (1993). Nature Genet. 3, 241–246) mutant mice exhibit different subsets of skeletal defects indicating that they implement specific functions in the development of the neural crest, somite and lateral plate mesoderm derivatives. Although Gli2 and Gli3 are not functionally equivalent, double mutant analysis indicates that, in addition to their specific roles, they also serve redundant functions during skeletal development. The role of Gli2 and Gli3 in Hedgehog signaling during skeletal development is discussed.

Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome with dysgenesis of the corpus callosum in a Bedouin family

We report on the first known Bedouin family with Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome (MIM 175700). The index patient and his father shared pre- and postaxial polysyndactyly, mild mental retardation, and corpus callosum dysgenesis. Their phenotypic findings were compared with reported cases of both Greig cephalopolysyndactyly (GCPS) and acrocallosal syndromes. This family represents the second report of the rare occurrence of dysgenesis of the corpus callosum in GCPS.

Doublefoot: a new mouse mutant affecting development of limbs and head

The mutant doublefoot, Dbf, of the mouse arose spontaneously, and was shown to be inherited as an autosomal dominant, mapping 9-13 cM proximal to leaden, In, on chromosome 1 and showing no recombination with the microsatellite markers D1Mit24 and D1Mit77. In heterozygotes the phenotype includes many extra toes on all four feet, and the tibia and fibula may be reduced and bowed. The head is shortened and broad and the eyes are held half-closed, and some animals develop hydrocephalus. The tail is kinked and abnormally thick, and the soles of the feet are swollen. Growth is retarded, viability is reduced, and reproduction is impaired in both sexes. Only about 30% of males are normally fertile, and testis weights and sperm counts may be reduced, although this appears not to be the main cause of poor fertility. In females vaginal opening is delayed and oestrous cycles are irregular, although the animals appear to respond to gonadotrophic hormones. Crosses of Dbf/+ x Dbf/+ are very poorly fertile. Prenatally, Dbf/+ heterozygotes can first be recognized at 11 1/2 days gestation by abnormally broad fore limb buds. Putative Dbf/Dbf homozygotes at 12 1/2 days have similar limbs defects and also split face, due to failure of the maxillae to fuse in the midline. Some homozygotes and a few putative heterozygotes have cranioschisis. At 13 1/2 days, the heads of homozygotes tend to bulge in the frontal region and a bleb of clear fluid is visible medially. At 14 1/2 days Dbf/Dbf fetuses may have oedema and some are dead. From 15 1/2 days onwards no live Dbf/Dbf fetuses have been found. The gene maps close to the locus of Pax3, but crossovers between Dbf and Pax3 have been found, ruling out the possibility that a gain-of-function mutation in Pax3 might be involved.

Cloning and sequence analysis of the murine Gli3 cDNA

The zinc finger gene Gli3 plays a role in limb and brain development. To facilitate the molecular analysis of different mouse mutations of this gene, the murine cDNA was isolated and sequenced. This 5113 bp cDNA encodes a putative protein of 1596 amino acids. Comparison of the murine and human GLI3 cDNA revealed an overall homology of 85% between the deduced amino acid sequences. More importantly, several regions of the protein, including the zinc fingers, are more highly conserved ( > 95%), suggesting that these represent functional domains in the Gli3 protein.

Engrailed, Wnt and Pax genes regulate midbrain--hindbrain development

The mouse Engrailed, Wnt and Pax genes, which are homologues of Drosophila segmentation genes, have provided a critical genetic entry point for dissecting the molecular and cellular control of mesencephalon and metencephalon development in vertebrates. Mutant phenotypes and gene expression data suggest that six members of these gene families are required for early formation of these brain regions. Ectopic transplantation studies have shown that the midbrain-hindbrain-junction protein can act as an organizer and recruit certain host cells to re-establish parts of the entire region. Taken together, these studies indicate that the mesencephalon and metencephalon develop as one independent unit, and that the genetic network regulating development of this region involves conserved genes that control segmentation in Drosophila. By analogy, segmentation of the rest of the brain might best be described in terms of 'genetic units' defined by genetic and transplantation data.

Apoptosis in the developing CNS

In this review, apoptosis during normal development of the CNS and abnormal apoptosis inducing hydrocephaly and arhinencephaly will be discussed. As the prominent sites of apoptosis during normal development of the CNS, we focused on the area of fusion of the neural plate to form the neural tube, the developing rhombomeres, and neuronal loss in the CNS during embryogenesis and postnatal development. As examples of abnormal apoptosis inducing abnormal brain morphogenesis, we will discuss genetically induced arhinencephaly and hydrocephaly. It was suggested that apoptosis of the precursor mitral cells in the anlage of the olfactory bulb was induced by non-innervation of olfactory neurons, and apoptosis of the precursor neurons in the pyriform cortex was induced by the non-innervation caused by the death of mitral cells in the mutant arhinencephalic mouse brain (Pdn/Pdn). Thus, sequential apoptosis of the precursor neurons and sequential manifestation of the brain abnormalities were proposed in arhinencephalic mutant mouse embryos and also in the arhinencephalic brains induced experimentally by fetal laser surgery exo utero. Meanwhile, it was speculated that the Gli3 gene, mutation of which is responsible for the arhinencephaly in Pdn/Pdn mice, might play a role in mesenchymal programmed cell death during development.

A duplicated zone of polarizing activity in polydactylous mouse mutants

The positional signaling along the anteroposterior axis of the developing vertebrate limb is provided by the zone of polarizing activity (ZPA) located at the posterior margin. Recently, it was established that the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) mediates ZPA activity. Here we report that a new mouse mutant, Recombination induced mutant 4 (Rim4), and two old mutants, Hemimelic extra toes (Hx) and Extra toes (Xt), exhibit mirror-image duplications of the skeletal pattern of the digits. In situ hybridization of the embryos of these mutants revealed ectopic expression of Shh and fibroblast growth factor-4 (Fgf-4) genes at the anterior margin of limb buds. The new mutation, Rim4, was mapped to chromosome 6 with linkage to HoxAbut segregated from HoxA. No linkage to other known polydactylous mutations was detected. In this mutant, ectopic expression of the Hoxd-11 gene, thought to be downstream of ZPA, was also observed at the anterior margin of the limb buds. All results indicate the presence of an additional ZPA at the anterior margin of limb buds in these mutants. Thus, it appears that multiple endogenous genes regulate the spatial localization of the ZPA in the developing mouse limb bud.

Identification of optimized target sequences for the GLI3 zinc finger protein

GLI3 represents an important control gene for development and differentiation of several body structures. Reduction in gene dosage already leads to severe perturbation, especially of limb morphogenesis. The gene encodes a zinc finger protein that likely functions as a transcriptional modulator. Because the five zinc fingers should be capable of recognizing an extended stretch of genomic DNA, we sought to identify sequences bound by GLI3 that may facilitate the search for target genes acting downstream of GLI3. Starting from the nonamer DNA binding sequence of the highly related GLI protein, we employed an oligonucleotide selection protocol to determine an optimized binding sequence for the GLI3 protein. The resulting sequence bound by the GLI3 zinc fingers consists of 16 nucleotides and shows a high degree of similarity to sequences bound by the GLI and tra-1 proteins. Comparison with protein-DNA interactions in the known crystal structure of the GLI-DNA complex suggests relevant interactions of additional amino acids of GLI3 with its target site. The newly identified GLI3 target sequence should prove very useful for both the structural analysis of the protein-DNA complex and the search for genes whose expression is subject to regulation by the GLI3 gene product.

Genetic basis of neural tube defects: the mouse gene loop-tail maps to a region of chromosome 1 syntenic with human 1q21-q23

A genetic basis for neural tube defects (NTD) is rarely doubted, but the genes involved have not yet been identified. This is partly due to a lack of suitable families on which to perform linkage analysis. An alternative approach is to use the many mouse genes that cause NTD as a means of isolating their human homologues. Loop-tail (Lp) is a semidominant mouse gene that, in homozygous mutants, causes the severe NTD phenotype cranio-rachischisis. As a first step toward cloning Lp, we have performed linkage analysis on an intraspecific backcross, using microsatellite and RFLP DNA markers. This study has localized Lp to a region of approximately 1.46 cM on mouse chromosome 1, flanked by the gene for the alpha chain of high-affinity Fc receptor for IgE (Fcer1 alpha) and a microsatellite repeat D1Mit113. Physical mapping data in the region suggest that the interval is likely to be no more than 1.8 Mb in size. The localization is several centimorgans distal to that previously assigned by linkage studies with biochemical and visible markers and suggests that the human homologue of Lp is likely to reside in a region of conserved homology on 1q21-q23.

Molecular genetic approaches to the study of human craniofacial dysmorphologies

Craniofacial dysmorphologies are common, ranging from simple facial disfigurement to complex malformations involving the whole head. With the advent of gene mapping and cloning techniques, the genetic element of both simple and complex human craniofacial dysmorphologies can be investigated. For many of the dysmorphic syndromes, it is possible to find families that display a particular phenotype in either an autosomal dominant, recessive, or X-linked manner. This article focuses on a subgroup of craniofacial dysmorphologies, covering these three main inheritance patterns, that are being studied using molecular biology techniques: DiGeorge syndrome, Treacher Collins syndrome, Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome, acrocallosal syndrome, amelogenesis imperfecta, and X-linked cleft palate with ankyloglossia. Once the mutated or deleted gene or genes for each syndrome have been cloned, patterns of normal and abnormal craniofacial development should be elucidated. This should enhance both diagnosis and treatment of these common and disfiguring disorders.

Transcriptional regulation of gene expression: mechanisms and pathophysiology

Transcription factors are key mediators of the genetic programs that underlie human development and physiology. Mutations in genes that encode transcription factors or in DNA sequences to which these factors bind may adversely affect gene expression and result in disease. Mutations in genes encoding transcription factors often have pleiotropic effects because each transcription factor is involved in the regulation of multiple genes. For several transcription factors, germline mutations have been shown to result in malformation syndromes whereas somatic mutations in the same genes contribute to the multistep process of tumorigenesis. The study of transcription factors and their involvement in human disease thus provides insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying human development, physiology, dysmorphology, and oncology.