The genetics and embryology of zebrafish metamerism

Osteological features of some clupeid fishes (Teleostei: Clupeiformes) of Iran

This paper presents the conclusions of a comparative analysis of six osteological features: the Structure of the vertebral column, the morphology of the predorsal bones, the vertebral column regionalization, the pterygiophore interdigitation with neural spines of dorsal fin, the pterygiophores interdigitation of with the haemal spines of the anal fin, and the intermuscular bones (IMB) and hypomerals (HM) of 12 clupeid species of the families Alosidae, Dorosomatidae, Dussumieridae and Ehiravidae. Conceivable taxonomically beneficial osteological features are nominated and utilized to discrete the clupeid species explored. Formulae for the structure of the vertebral column, the dorsal- and anal-fin pterygiophores' interdigitation with the neural and haemal spines of the vertebrae are established. These morphological descriptive traits disclose a morphotype that may be related to the mode of swimming of the species searched. The morphological study of the vertebral column of the species in question permits the division of this bony structure into six morphologically different regions. This regionalization is more intricate than the classical division in abdominal and caudal parts only.

Spatiotemporal control of pattern formation during somitogenesis

Spatiotemporal patterns widely occur in biological, chemical, and physical systems. Particularly, embryonic development displays a diverse gamut of repetitive patterns established in many tissues and organs. Branching treelike structures in lungs, kidneys, livers, pancreases, and mammary glands as well as digits and bones in appendages, teeth, and palates are just a few examples. A fascinating instance of repetitive patterning is the sequential segmentation of the primary body axis, which is conserved in all vertebrates and many arthropods and annelids. In these species, the body axis elongates at the posterior end of the embryo containing an unsegmented tissue. Meanwhile, segments sequentially bud off from the anterior end of the unsegmented tissue, laying down an exquisite repetitive pattern and creating a segmented body plan. In vertebrates, the paraxial mesoderm is sequentially divided into somites. In this review, we will discuss the most prominent models, the most puzzling experimental data, and outstanding questions in vertebrate somite segmentation.

Morphological and temporal variation in early embryogenesis contributes to species divergence in Malawi cichlid fishes

The cichlid fishes comprise the largest extant vertebrate family and are the quintessential example of rapid "explosive" adaptive radiations and phenotypic diversification. Despite low genetic divergence, East African cichlids harbor a spectacular intra- and interspecific morphological diversity, including the hyper-variable, neural crest (NC)-derived traits such as coloration and craniofacial skeleton. Although the genetic and developmental basis of these phenotypes has been investigated, understanding of when, and specifically how early, in ontogeny species-specific differences emerge, remains limited. Since adult traits often originate during embryonic development, the processes of embryogenesis could serve as a potential source of species-specific variation. Consequently, we designed a staging system by which we compare the features of embryogenesis between three Malawi cichlid species-Astatotilapia calliptera, Tropheops sp. 'mauve' and Rhamphochromis sp. "chilingali"-representing a wide spectrum of variation in pigmentation and craniofacial morphologies. Our results showed fundamental differences in multiple aspects of embryogenesis that could underlie interspecific divergence in adult adaptive traits. First, we identified variation in the somite number and signatures of temporal variation, or heterochrony, in the rates of somite formation. The heterochrony was also evident within and between species throughout ontogeny, up to the juvenile stages. Finally, the identified interspecific differences in the development of pigmentation and craniofacial cartilages, present at the earliest stages of their overt formation, provide compelling evidence that the species-specific trajectories begin divergence during early embryogenesis, potentially during somitogenesis and NC development. Altogether, our results expand our understanding of fundamental cichlid biology and provide new insights into the developmental origins of vertebrate morphological diversity.

Mechanics of the cellular microenvironment as probed by cells in vivo during zebrafish presomitic mesoderm differentiation

Tissue morphogenesis, homoeostasis and repair require cells to constantly monitor their three-dimensional microenvironment and adapt their behaviours in response to local biochemical and mechanical cues. Yet the mechanical parameters of the cellular microenvironment probed by cells in vivo remain unclear. Here, we report the mechanics of the cellular microenvironment that cells probe in vivo and in situ during zebrafish presomitic mesoderm differentiation. By quantifying both endogenous cell-generated strains and tissue mechanics, we show that individual cells probe the stiffness associated with deformations of the supracellular, foam-like tissue architecture. Stress relaxation leads to a perceived microenvironment stiffness that decreases over time, with cells probing the softest regime. We find that most mechanical parameters, including those probed by cells, vary along the anteroposterior axis as mesodermal progenitors differentiate. These findings expand our understanding of in vivo mechanosensation and might aid the design of advanced scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.

Fgf8 dynamics and critical slowing down may account for the temperature independence of somitogenesis

Somitogenesis, the segmentation of the antero-posterior axis in vertebrates, is thought to result from the interactions between a genetic oscillator and a posterior-moving determination wavefront. The segment (somite) size is set by the product of the oscillator period and the velocity of the determination wavefront. Surprisingly, while the segmentation period can vary by a factor three between 20 °C and 32 °C, the somite size is constant. How this temperature independence is achieved is a mystery that we address in this study. Using RT-qPCR we show that the endogenous fgf8 mRNA concentration decreases during somitogenesis and correlates with the exponent of the shrinking pre-somitic mesoderm (PSM) size. As the temperature decreases, the dynamics of fgf8 and many other gene transcripts, as well as the segmentation frequency and the PSM shortening and tail growth rates slows down as T-T_c (with T_c = 14.4 °C). This behavior characteristic of a system near a critical point may account for the temperature independence of somitogenesis in zebrafish.

The relative impact of evolving pleiotropy and mutational correlation on trait divergence

Both pleiotropic connectivity and mutational correlations can restrict the decoupling of traits under divergent selection, but it is unknown which is more important in trait evolution. To address this question, we create a model that permits within-population variation in both pleiotropic connectivity and mutational correlation, and compare their relative importance to trait evolution. Specifically, we developed an individual-based stochastic model where mutations can affect whether a locus affects a trait and the extent of mutational correlations in a population. We find that traits can decouple whether there is evolution in pleiotropic connectivity or mutational correlation, but when both can evolve, then evolution in pleiotropic connectivity is more likely to allow for decoupling to occur. The most common genotype found in this case is characterized by having one locus that maintains connectivity to all traits and another that loses connectivity to the traits under stabilizing selection (subfunctionalization). This genotype is favored because it allows the subfunctionalized locus to accumulate greater effect size alleles, contributing to increasingly divergent trait values in the traits under divergent selection without changing the trait values of the other traits (genetic modularization). These results provide evidence that partial subfunctionalization of pleiotropic loci may be a common mechanism of trait decoupling under regimes of corridor selection.

Hox13 genes are required for mesoderm formation and axis elongation during early zebrafish development

The early vertebrate embryo extends from anterior to posterior due to the addition of neural and mesodermal cells from a neuromesodermal progenitor (NMp) population located at the most posterior end of the embryo. In order to produce mesoderm throughout this time, the NMps produce their own niche, which is high in Wnt and low in retinoic acid. Using a loss-of-function approach, we demonstrate here that the two most abundant Hox13 genes in zebrafish have a novel role in providing robustness to the NMp niche by working in concert with the niche-establishing factor Brachyury to allow mesoderm formation. Mutants lacking both hoxa13b and hoxd13a in combination with reduced Brachyury activity have synergistic posterior body defects, in the strongest case producing embryos with severe mesodermal defects that phenocopy brachyury null mutants. Our results provide a new way of understanding the essential role of the Hox13 genes in early vertebrate development.This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.

Regulatory Network of the Scoliosis-Associated Genes Establishes Rostrocaudal Patterning of Somites in Zebrafish

Gene regulatory networks govern pattern formation and differentiation during embryonic development. Segmentation of somites, precursors of the vertebral column among other tissues, is jointly controlled by temporal signals from the segmentation clock and spatial signals from morphogen gradients. To explore how these temporal and spatial signals are integrated, we combined time-controlled genetic perturbation experiments with computational modeling to reconstruct the core segmentation network in zebrafish. We found that Mesp family transcription factors link the temporal information of the segmentation clock with the spatial action of the fibroblast growth factor signaling gradient to establish rostrocaudal (head to tail) polarity of segmented somites. We further showed that cells gradually commit to patterning by the action of different genes at different spatiotemporal positions. Our study provides a blueprint of the zebrafish segmentation network, which includes evolutionarily conserved genes that are associated with the birth defect congenital scoliosis in humans.

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A core network establishes rostrocaudal polarity of segmented somites in zebrafish

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mesp genes link the segmentation clock with the FGF signaling gradient

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Gradual patterning is done by the action of different genes at different positions

Small molecule screen in embryonic zebrafish using modular variations to target segmentation

Small molecule in vivo phenotypic screening is used to identify drugs or biological activities by directly assessing effects in intact organisms. However, current screening designs may not exploit the full potential of chemical libraries due to false negatives. Here, we demonstrate a modular small molecule screen in embryonic zebrafish that varies concentration, genotype and timing to target segmentation disorders, birth defects that affect the spinal column. By testing each small molecule in multiple interrelated ways, this screen recovers compounds that a standard screening design would have missed, increasing the hit frequency from the chemical library three-fold. We identify molecular pathways and segmentation phenotypes, which we share in an open-access annotated database. These hits provide insight into human vertebral segmentation disorders and myopathies. This modular screening strategy is applicable to other developmental questions and disease models, highlighting the power of relatively small chemical libraries to accelerate gene discovery and disease study.

Vertebral column regionalisation in Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

Teleost vertebral centra are often similar in size and shape, but vertebral-associated elements, i.e. neural arches, haemal arches and ribs, show regional differences. Here we examine how the presence, absence and specific anatomical and histological characters of vertebral centra-associated elements can be used to define vertebral column regions in juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). To investigate if the presence of regions within the vertebral column is independent of temperature, animals raised at 8 and 12 °C were studied at 1400 and 1530 degreedays, in the freshwater phase of the life cycle. Anatomy and composition of the skeletal tissues of the vertebral column were analysed using Alizarin red S whole-mount staining and histological sections. Six regions, termed I-VI, are recognised in the vertebral column of specimens of both temperature groups. Postcranial vertebrae (region I) carry neural arches and parapophyses but lack ribs. Abdominal vertebrae (region II) carry neural arches and ribs that articulate with parapophyses. Elastic- and fibrohyaline cartilage and Sharpey's fibres connect the bone of the parapophyses to the bone of the ribs. In the transitional region (III) vertebrae carry neural arches and parapophyses change stepwise into haemal arches. Ribs decrease in size, anterior to posterior. Vestigial ribs remain attached to the haemal arches with Sharpey's fibres. Caudal vertebrae (region IV) carry neural and haemal arches and spines. Basidorsals and basiventrals are small and surrounded by cancellous bone. Preural vertebrae (region V) carry neural and haemal arches with modified neural and haemal spines to support the caudal fin. Ural vertebrae (region VI) carry hypurals and epurals that represent modified haemal and neural arches and spines, respectively. The postcranial and transitional vertebrae and their respective characters are usually recognised, but should be considered as regions within the vertebral column of teleosts because of their distinctive morphological characters. While the number of vertebrae within each region can vary, each of the six regions is recognised in specimens of both temperature groups. This refined identification of regionalisation in the vertebral column of Chinook salmon can help to address evolutionary developmental and functional questions, and to support applied research into this farmed species.

Copper pyrithione, a booster biocide, induces abnormal muscle and notochord architecture in zebrafish embryogenesis

The metal pyrithiones, principally zinc (ZnPT) and copper (CuPT), are replacing tributyltin (TBT) as antifouling agents. Zebrafish embryos were exposed within the first hour after fertilization to 12 and 64 µg/L of CuPT for 24 h. Morphological abnormalities in notochord and muscle architecture were observed at 96 h post fertilization (hpf). TEM revealed abnormal electron dense deposits in the notochord sheath and muscle fiber degeneration in animals treated with 12 µg/L of CuPT. Embryos that were exposed to 64 µg/L of CuPT displayed severe muscle fiber degeneration including abnormal A and I band patterning and altered z disk arrangement. Abnormalities in the notochord sheath, swelling of the mitochondria and numerous lipid whorls were also noted. Total antioxidant capacity was significantly decreased in embryos exposed to 12 and 64 µg/L of CuPT. Acridine orange staining revealed an increase in apoptosis particularly in the brain, eye, heart and tail regions of both treatment groups. Apoptosis was confirmed with an increase in caspase 3/7 activity in both treatment groups. Severe alternations in primary motor neuron axon extensions, slow tonic muscle fibers and fast twitch fibers were observed in CuPT treated embryos. There was a significant upregulation in sonic hedgehog and myod1 expression at 24 hpf in the 12 µg/L treatment group. Exposed zebrafish embryos showed ultra-structural hallmarks of peroxidative injury and cell death via apoptosis. These changes question the use of copper pyrithione as an antifouling agent.

tbx6l and tbx16 are redundantly required for posterior paraxial mesoderm formation during zebrafish embryogenesis

BACKGROUND

T-box genes encode a large transcription factor family implicated in many aspects of development. We are focusing on two related zebrafish T-box genes, tbx6l and tbx16, that are expressed in highly overlapping patterns in embryonic paraxial mesoderm. tbx16 mutants are deficient in trunk, but not tail, somites; we explored whether presence of tail somites in tbx16 mutants was due to compensatory function provided by the tbx6l gene.

RESULTS

We generated two zebrafish tbx6l mutant alleles. Loss of tbx6l has no apparent effect on embryonic development, nor does tbx6l loss enhance the phenotype of two other T-box gene mutants, ta and tbx6, or of the mesp family gene mutant msgn1. In contrast, loss of tbx6l function dramatically enhances the paraxial mesoderm deficiency of tbx16 mutants.

CONCLUSIONS

These data demonstrate that tbx6l and tbx16 genes function redundantly to direct tail somite development. tbx6l single mutants develop normally because tbx16 fully compensates for loss of tbx6l function. However, tbx6l only partially compensates for loss of tbx16 function. These results resolve the question of why loss of function of tbx16 gene, which is expressed throughout the ventral and paraxial mesoderm, profoundly affects somite development in the trunk but not the tail. Developmental Dynamics 246:759-769, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The kinetics in mathematical models on segmentation clock genes in zebrafish

Somitogenesis is the process for the development of somites in vertebrate embryos. This process is timely regulated by synchronous oscillatory expression of the segmentation clock genes. Mathematical models expressed by delay equations or ODEs have been proposed to depict the kinetics of these genes in interacting cells. Through mathematical analysis, we investigate the parameter regimes for synchronous oscillations and oscillation-arrested in an ODE model and a model with transcriptional and translational delays, both with Michaelis-Menten type degradations. Comparisons between these regimes for the two models are made. The delay model has larger capacity to accommodate synchronous oscillations. Based on the analysis and numerical computations extended from the analysis, we explore how the periods and amplitudes of the oscillations vary with the degradation rates, synthesis rates, and coupling strength. For typical parameter values, the period and amplitude increase as some synthesis rate or the coupling strength increases in the ODE model. Such variational properties of oscillations depend also on the magnitudes of time delays in delay model. We also illustrate the difference between the dynamics in systems modeled with linear degradation and the ones in systems with Michaelis-Menten type reactions for the degradation. The chief concerns are the connections between the dynamics in these models and the mechanism for the segmentation clocks, and the pertinence of mathematical modeling on somitogenesis in zebrafish.

Zebrafish as an Alternative Vertebrate Model for Investigating Developmental Toxicity-The Triadimefon Example

Triadimefon is a widely used triazole fungicide known to cause severe developmental defects in several model organisms and in humans. The present study evaluated in detail the developmental effects seen in zebrafish embryos exposed to triadimefon, confirmed and expanded upon previous phenotypic findings and compared them to those observed in other traditional animal models. In order to do this, we exposed embryos to 2 and 4 µg/mL triadimefon and evaluated growth until 120 h post-fertilization (hpf) through gross morphology examination. Our analysis revealed significant developmental defects at the highest tested concentration including somite deformities, severe craniofacial defects, a cleft phenotype along the three primary neural divisions, a rigorously hypoplastic or even absent mandible and a hypoplastic morphology of the pharyngeal arches. Interestingly, massive pericardial edemas, abnormal shaped hearts, brachycardia and inhibited or absent blood circulation were also observed. Our results revealed that the presented zebrafish phenotypes are comparable to those seen in other organism models and those derived from human observations as a result of triadimefon exposure. We therefore demonstrated that zebrafish provide an excellent system for study of compounds with toxic significance and can be used as an alternative model for developmental toxicity studies to predict effects in mammals.

Muscular dystrophy modeling in zebrafish

Skeletal muscle performs an essential function in human physiology with defects in genes encoding a variety of cellular components resulting in various types of inherited muscle disorders. Muscular dystrophies (MDs) are a severe and heterogeneous type of human muscle disease, manifested by progressive muscle wasting and degeneration. The disease pathogenesis and therapeutic options for MDs have been investigated for decades using rodent models, and considerable knowledge has been accumulated on the cause and pathogenetic mechanisms of this group of human disorders. However, due to some differences between disease severity and progression, what is learned in mammalian models does not always transfer to humans, prompting the desire for additional and alternative models. More recently, zebrafish have emerged as a novel and robust animal model for the study of human muscle disease. Zebrafish MD models possess a number of distinct advantages for modeling human muscle disorders, including the availability and ease of generating mutations in homologous disease-causing genes, the ability to image living muscle tissue in an intact animal, and the suitability of zebrafish larvae for large-scale chemical screens. In this chapter, we review the current understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in MDs, the process of myogenesis in zebrafish, and the structural and functional characteristics of zebrafish larval muscles. We further discuss the insights gained from the key zebrafish MD models that have been so far generated, and we summarize the attempts that have been made to screen for small molecules inhibitors of the dystrophic phenotypes using these models. Overall, these studies demonstrate that zebrafish is a useful in vivo system for modeling aspects of human skeletal muscle disorders. Studies using these models have contributed both to the understanding of the pathogenesis of muscle wasting disorders and demonstrated their utility as highly relevant models to implement therapeutic screening regimens.

Tales of Tails (and Trunks): Forming the Posterior Body in Vertebrate Embryos

A major question in developmental biology is how the early embryonic axes are established. Recent studies using different model organisms and mammalian in vitro systems have revealed the surprising result that most of the early posterior embryonic body forms from a Wnt-regulated bipotential neuromesodermal progenitor population that escapes early germ layer patterning. Part of the regulatory network that drives the maintenance and differentiation of these progenitors has recently been determined, but much remains to be discovered. This review discusses some of the common features present in all vertebrates, as well as unique aspects that different species utilize to establish their anterior-posterior (A-P) axis.

Stochastic Regulation of her1/7 Gene Expression Is the Source of Noise in the Zebrafish Somite Clock Counteracted by Notch Signalling

The somite segmentation clock is a robust oscillator used to generate regularly-sized segments during early vertebrate embryogenesis. It has been proposed that the clocks of neighbouring cells are synchronised via inter-cellular Notch signalling, in order to overcome the effects of noisy gene expression. When Notch-dependent communication between cells fails, the clocks of individual cells operate erratically and lose synchrony over a period of about 5 to 8 segmentation clock cycles (2-3 hours in the zebrafish). Here, we quantitatively investigate the effects of stochasticity on cell synchrony, using mathematical modelling, to investigate the likely source of such noise. We find that variations in the transcription, translation and degradation rate of key Notch signalling regulators do not explain the in vivo kinetics of desynchronisation. Rather, the analysis predicts that clock desynchronisation, in the absence of Notch signalling, is due to the stochastic dissociation of Her1/7 repressor proteins from the oscillating her1/7 autorepressed target genes. Using in situ hybridisation to visualise sites of active her1 transcription, we measure an average delay of approximately three minutes between the times of activation of the two her1 alleles in a cell. Our model shows that such a delay is sufficient to explain the in vivo rate of clock desynchronisation in Notch pathway mutant embryos and also that Notch-mediated synchronisation is sufficient to overcome this stochastic variation. This suggests that the stochastic nature of repressor/DNA dissociation is the major source of noise in the segmentation clock.

Wnt signaling and tbx16 form a bistable switch to commit bipotential progenitors to mesoderm

Anterior to posterior growth of the vertebrate body is fueled by a posteriorly located population of bipotential neuro-mesodermal progenitor cells. These progenitors have a limited rate of proliferation and their maintenance is crucial for completion of the anterior-posterior axis. How they leave the progenitor state and commit to differentiation is largely unknown, in part because widespread modulation of factors essential for this process causes organism-wide effects. Using a novel assay, we show that zebrafish Tbx16 (Spadetail) is capable of advancing mesodermal differentiation cell-autonomously. Tbx16 locks cells into the mesodermal state by not only activating downstream mesodermal genes, but also by repressing bipotential progenitor genes, in part through a direct repression of sox2. We demonstrate that tbx16 is activated as cells move from an intermediate Wnt environment to a high Wnt environment, and show that Wnt signaling activates the tbx16 promoter. Importantly, high-level Wnt signaling is able to accelerate mesodermal differentiation cell-autonomously, just as we observe with Tbx16. Finally, because our assay for mesodermal commitment is quantitative we are able to show that the acceleration of mesodermal differentiation is surprisingly incomplete, implicating a potential separation of cell movement and differentiation during this process. Together, our data suggest a model in which high levels of Wnt signaling induce a transition to mesoderm by directly activating tbx16, which in turn acts to irreversibly flip a bistable switch, leading to maintenance of the mesodermal fate and repression of the bipotential progenitor state, even as cells leave the initial high-Wnt environment.

PAPC mediates self/non-self-distinction during Snail1-dependent tissue separation

In Xenopus and zebrafish gastrulae, PAPC attenuates planar cell polarity signaling and controls formation of an adhesive, yet flexible, contact at the ectoderm–mesoderm boundary.

Cleft-like boundaries represent a type of cell sorting boundary characterized by the presence of a physical gap between tissues. We studied the cleft-like ectoderm–mesoderm boundary in Xenopus laevis and zebrafish gastrulae. We identified the transcription factor Snail1 as being essential for tissue separation, showed that its expression in the mesoderm depends on noncanonical Wnt signaling, and demonstrated that it enables paraxial protocadherin (PAPC) to promote tissue separation through two novel functions. First, PAPC attenuates planar cell polarity signaling at the ectoderm–mesoderm boundary to lower cell adhesion and facilitate cleft formation. Second, PAPC controls formation of a distinct type of adhesive contact between mesoderm and ectoderm cells that shows properties of a cleft-like boundary at the single-cell level. It consists of short stretches of adherens junction–like contacts inserted between intermediate-sized contacts and large intercellular gaps. These roles of PAPC constitute a self/non–self-recognition mechanism that determines the site of boundary formation at the interface between PAPC-expressing and -nonexpressing cells.

The Coiled-Coil Domain Containing 80 (ccdc80) gene regulates gadd45β2 expression in the developing somites of zebrafish as a new player of the hedgehog pathway

The Coiled-Coil Domain Containing 80 (CCDC80) gene has been identified as strongly induced in rat thyroid PC CL3 cells immortalized by the adenoviral E1A gene. In human, CCDC80 is a potential oncosoppressor due to its down-regulation in several tumor cell lines and tissues and it is expressed in almost all tissues. CCDC80 has homologous in mouse, chicken, and zebrafish. We cloned the zebrafish ccdc80 and analyzed its expression and function during embryonic development. The in-silico translated zebrafish protein shares high similarity with its mammalian homologous, with nuclear localization signals and a signal peptide. Gene expression analysis demonstrates that zebrafish ccdc80 is maternally and zygotically expressed throughout the development. In particular, ccdc80 is strongly expressed in the notochord and it is under the regulation of the Hedgehog pathway. In this work we investigated the functional effects of ccdc80-loss-of-function during embryonic development and verified its interaction with gadd45β2 in somitogenesis.

O-fucosylation of DLL3 is required for its function during somitogenesis

Delta-like 3 (DLL3) is a member of the DSL family of Notch ligands in amniotes. In contrast to DLL1 and DLL4, the other Delta-like proteins in the mouse, DLL3 does not bind in trans to Notch and does not activate the receptor, but shows cis-interaction and cis-inhibitory properties on Notch signaling in vitro. Loss of the DSL protein DLL3 in the mouse results in severe somite patterning defects, which are virtually indistinguishable from the defects in mice that lack lunatic fringe (LFNG), a glycosyltransferase involved in modifying Notch signaling. Like LFNG, DLL3 is located within the trans-Golgi, however, its biochemical function is still unclear. Here, we show that i) both proteins interact, ii) epidermal growth factor like repeats 2 and 5 of DLL3 are O-fucosylated at consensus sites for POFUT1, and iii) further modified by FNG proteins in vitro. Embryos double homozygous for null mutations in Dll3 and Lfng are phenotypically indistinguishable from the single mutants supporting a potential common function. Mutation of the O-fucosylation sites in DLL3 does not disrupt the interaction of DLL3 with LFNG or full length Notch1or DLL1, and O-fucosylation-deficient DLL3 can still inhibit Notch in cis in vitro. However, in contrast to wild type DLL3, O-fucosylation-deficient DLL3 cannot compensate for the loss of endogenous DLL3 during somitogenesis in the embryo. Together our results suggest that the cis-inhibitory activity of DLL3 observed in cultured cells might not fully reflect its assumed essential physiological property, suggest that DLL3 and LFNG act together, and strongly supports that modification of DLL3 by O-linked fucose is essential for its function during somitogenesis.

Tbx6, Mesp-b and Ripply1 regulate the onset of skeletal myogenesis in zebrafish

During embryonic development, the paraxial mesoderm becomes segmented into somites, within which proliferative muscle progenitors and muscle fibers establish the skeletal musculature. Here, we demonstrate that a gene network previously implicated in somite boundary formation, involving the transcriptional regulators Tbx6, Mesp-b and Ripply1, also confers spatial and temporal regulation to skeletal myogenesis in zebrafish. We show that Tbx6 directly regulates mesp-b and ripply1 expression in vivo, and that the interactions within the regulatory network are largely conserved among vertebrates. Mesp-b is necessary and sufficient for the specification of a subpopulation of muscle progenitors, the central proportion of the Pax3(+)/Pax7(+) dermomyotome. Conditional ubiquitous expression indicates that Mesp-b acts by inhibiting myogenic differentiation and by inducing the dermomyotome marker meox1. By contrast, Ripply1 induces a negative-feedback loop by promoting Tbx6 protein degradation. Persistent Tbx6 expression in Ripply1 knockdown embryos correlates with a deficit in dermomyotome and myotome marker gene expression, suggesting that Ripply1 promotes myogenesis by terminating Tbx6-dependent inhibition of myogenic maturation. Together, our data suggest that Mesp-b is an intrinsic upstream regulator of skeletal muscle progenitors and that, in zebrafish, the genes regulating somite boundary formation also regulate the development of the dermomyotome in the anterior somite compartment.

Zebrafish foxc1a plays a crucial role in early somitogenesis by restricting the expression of aldh1a2 directly

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.

Skeletal myogenesis in the zebrafish and its implications for muscle disease modelling

Current evidence indicates that post-embryonic muscle growth and regeneration in amniotes is mediated almost entirely by stem cells derived from muscle progenitor cells (MPCs), known as satellite cells. Exhaustion and impairment of satellite cell activity is involved in the severe muscle loss associated with degenerative muscle diseases such as Muscular Dystrophies and is the main cause of age-associated muscle wasting. Understanding the molecular and cellular basis of satellite cell function in muscle generation and regeneration (myogenesis) is critical to the broader goal of developing treatments that may ameliorate such conditions. Considerable knowledge exists regarding the embryonic stages of amniote myogenesis. Much less is known about how post-embryonic amniote myogenesis proceeds, how adult myogenesis relates to embryonic myogenesis on a cellular or genetic level. Of the studies focusing on post-embryonic amniote myogenesis, most are post-mortem and in vitro analyses, precluding the understanding of cellular behaviours and genetic mechanisms in an undisturbed in vivo setting. Zebrafish are optically clear throughout much of their post-embryonic development, facilitating their use in live imaging of cellular processes. Zebrafish also possess a compartment of MPCs, which appear similar to satellite cells and persist throughout the post-embryonic development of the fish, permitting their use in examining the contribution of these cells to muscle tissue growth and regeneration.

Spatial gradients of protein-level time delays set the pace of the traveling segmentation clock waves

The vertebrate segmentation clock is a gene expression oscillator controlling rhythmic segmentation of the vertebral column during embryonic development. The period of oscillations becomes longer as cells are displaced along the posterior to anterior axis, which results in traveling waves of clock gene expression sweeping in the unsegmented tissue. Although various hypotheses necessitating the inclusion of additional regulatory genes into the core clock network at different spatial locations have been proposed, the mechanism underlying traveling waves has remained elusive. Here, we combined molecular-level computational modeling and quantitative experimentation to solve this puzzle. Our model predicts the existence of an increasing gradient of gene expression time delays along the posterior to anterior direction to recapitulate spatiotemporal profiles of the traveling segmentation clock waves in different genetic backgrounds in zebrafish. We validated this prediction by measuring an increased time delay of oscillatory Her1 protein production along the unsegmented tissue. Our results refuted the need for spatial expansion of the core feedback loop to explain the occurrence of traveling waves. Spatial regulation of gene expression time delays is a novel way of creating dynamic patterns; this is the first report demonstrating such a control mechanism in any tissue and future investigations will explore the presence of analogous examples in other biological systems.

Pulses of Notch activation synchronise oscillating somite cells and entrain the zebrafish segmentation clock

Formation of somites, the rudiments of vertebrate body segments, is an oscillatory process governed by a gene-expression oscillator, the segmentation clock. This operates in each cell of the presomitic mesoderm (PSM), but the individual cells drift out of synchrony when Delta/Notch signalling fails, causing gross anatomical defects. We and others have suggested that this is because synchrony is maintained by pulses of Notch activation, delivered cyclically by each cell to its neighbours, that serve to adjust or reset the phase of the intracellular oscillator. This, however, has never been proved. Here, we provide direct experimental evidence, using zebrafish containing a heat-shock-driven transgene that lets us deliver artificial pulses of expression of the Notch ligand DeltaC. In DeltaC-defective embryos, in which endogenous Notch signalling fails, the artificial pulses restore synchrony, thereby rescuing somite formation. The spacing of segment boundaries produced by repetitive heat-shocking varies according to the time interval between one heat-shock and the next. The induced synchrony is manifest both morphologically and at the level of the oscillations of her1, a core component of the intracellular oscillator. Thus, entrainment of intracellular clocks by periodic activation of the Notch pathway is indeed the mechanism maintaining cell synchrony during somitogenesis.

Timing embryo segmentation: dynamics and regulatory mechanisms of the vertebrate segmentation clock

All vertebrate species present a segmented body, easily observed in the vertebrate column and its associated components, which provides a high degree of motility to the adult body and efficient protection of the internal organs. The sequential formation of the segmented precursors of the vertebral column during embryonic development, the somites, is governed by an oscillating genetic network, the somitogenesis molecular clock. Herein, we provide an overview of the molecular clock operating during somite formation and its underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms. Human congenital vertebral malformations have been associated with perturbations in these oscillatory mechanisms. Thus, a better comprehension of the molecular mechanisms regulating somite formation is required in order to fully understand the origin of human skeletal malformations.

An anterior limit of FGF/Erk signal activity marks the earliest future somite boundary in zebrafish

Vertebrate segments called somites are generated by periodic segmentation of the anterior extremity of the presomitic mesoderm (PSM). During somite segmentation in zebrafish, mesp-b determines a future somite boundary at position B-2 within the PSM. Heat-shock experiments, however, suggest that an earlier future somite boundary exists at B-5, but the molecular signature of this boundary remains unidentified. Here, we characterized fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signal activity within the PSM, and demonstrated that an anterior limit of downstream Erk activity corresponds to the future B-5 somite boundary. Moreover, the segmentation clock is required for a stepwise posterior shift of the Erk activity boundary during each segmentation. Our results provide the first molecular evidence of the future somite boundary at B-5, and we propose that clock-dependent cyclic inhibition of the FGF/Erk signal is a key mechanism in the generation of perfect repetitive structures in zebrafish development.

Restricted expression of cdc25a in the tailbud is essential for formation of the zebrafish posterior body

The vertebrate body forms from a multipotent stem cell-like progenitor population that contributes newly differentiated cells to the posterior end of the embryo. Here, in vivo analyses show that proliferation is compartmentalized at the posterior end of the zebrafish embryo via regulated expression of mitotic factor Cdc25a. Furthermore, compartmentalization of proliferation during embryogenesis is critical to both body extension and muscle cell fate. This study reveals an unexpected link between precise regulation of the cell cycle and differentiation from multipotency in the vertebrate embryo.

The vertebrate body forms from a multipotent stem cell-like progenitor population that progressively contributes newly differentiated cells to the most posterior end of the embryo. How the progenitor population balances proliferation and other cellular functions is unknown due to the difficulty of analyzing cell division in vivo. Here, we show that proliferation is compartmentalized at the posterior end of the embryo during early zebrafish development by the regulated expression of cdc25a, a key controller of mitotic entry. Through the use of a transgenic line that misexpresses cdc25a, we show that this compartmentalization is critical for the formation of the posterior body. Upon misexpression of cdc25a, several essential T-box transcription factors are abnormally expressed, including Spadetail/Tbx16, which specifically prevents the normal onset of myoD transcription, leading to aberrant muscle formation. Our results demonstrate that compartmentalization of proliferation during early embryogenesis is critical for both extension of the vertebrate body and differentiation of the multipotent posterior progenitor cells to the muscle cell fate.

What is a segment?

Animals have been described as segmented for more than 2,000 years, yet a precise definition of segmentation remains elusive. Here we give the history of the definition of segmentation, followed by a discussion on current controversies in defining a segment. While there is a general consensus that segmentation involves the repetition of units along the anterior-posterior (a-p) axis, long-running debates exist over whether a segment can be composed of only one tissue layer, whether the most anterior region of the arthropod head is considered segmented, and whether and how the vertebrate head is segmented. Additionally, we discuss whether a segment can be composed of a single cell in a column of cells, or a single row of cells within a grid of cells. We suggest that ‘segmentation’ be used in its more general sense, the repetition of units with a-p polarity along the a-p axis, to prevent artificial classification of animals. We further suggest that this general definition be combined with an exact description of what is being studied, as well as a clearly stated hypothesis concerning the specific nature of the potential homology of structures. These suggestions should facilitate dialogue among scientists who study vastly differing segmental structures.

Retinoic acid controls proper head-to-trunk linkage in zebrafish by regulating an anteroposterior somitogenetic rate difference

During vertebrate development, the primary body axis elongates towards the posterior and is periodically divided into somites, which give rise to the vertebrae, skeletal muscles and dermis. Somites form periodically from anterior to posterior, and the anterior somites form in a more rapid cycle than the posterior somites. However, how this anteroposterior (AP) difference in somitogenesis is generated and how it contributes to the vertebrate body plan remain unclear. Here, we show that the AP difference in zebrafish somitogenesis originates from a variable overlapping segmentation period between one somite and the next. The AP difference is attributable to spatiotemporal inhibition of the clock gene her1 via retinoic acid (RA) regulation of the transcriptional repressor ripply1. RA depletion thus disrupts timely somite formation at the transition, eventually leading to the loss of one somite and the resultant cervical vertebra. Overall, our results indicate that RA regulation of the AP difference is crucial for proper linkage between the head and trunk in the vertebrate body plan.

Small molecule suppressors of Drosophila kinesin deficiency rescue motor axon development in a zebrafish model of spinal muscular atrophy

Proximal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the most common inherited motor neuropathy and the leading hereditary cause of infant mortality. Currently there is no effective treatment for the disease, reflecting a need for pharmacologic interventions that restore performance of dysfunctional motor neurons or suppress the consequences of their dysfunction. In a series of assays relevant to motor neuron biology, we explored the activities of a collection of tetrahydroindoles that were reported to alter the metabolism of amyloid precursor protein (APP). In Drosophila larvae the compounds suppressed aberrant larval locomotion due to mutations in the Khc and Klc genes, which respectively encode the heavy and light chains of kinesin-1. A representative compound of this class also suppressed the appearance of axonal swellings (alternatively termed axonal spheroids or neuritic beads) in the segmental nerves of the kinesin-deficient Drosophila larvae. Given the importance of kinesin-dependent transport for extension and maintenance of axons and their growth cones, three members of the class were tested for neurotrophic effects on isolated rat spinal motor neurons. Each compound stimulated neurite outgrowth. In addition, consistent with SMA being an axonopathy of motor neurons, the three axonotrophic compounds rescued motor axon development in a zebrafish model of SMA. The results introduce a collection of small molecules as pharmacologic suppressors of SMA-associated phenotypes and nominate specific members of the collection for development as candidate SMA therapeutics. More generally, the results reinforce the perception of SMA as an axonopathy and suggest novel approaches to treating the disease.

Ethanol alters gene expression and cell organization during optic vesicle evagination

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Ethanol alters eye morphogenesis at early stages of embryogenesis.

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The expression patterns of some genes important for eye morphogenesis are perturbed.

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Ethanol is related to alterations in cell morphology.

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Ethanol interferes with the optic vesicles evagination.

Ethanol has been described as a teratogen in vertebrate development. During early stages of brain formation, ethanol affects the evagination of the optic vesicles, resulting in synophthalmia or cyclopia, phenotypes where the optic vesicles partially or totally fuse. The mechanisms by which ethanol affects the morphogenesis of the optic vesicles are however largely unknown. In this study we make use of in situ hybridization, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry to show that ethanol has profound effects on cell organization and gene expression during the evagination of the optic vesicles. Exposure to ethanol during early eye development alters the expression patterns of some genes known to be important for eye morphogenesis, such as rx3/1 and six3a. Furthermore, exposure to ethanol interferes with the acquisition of neuroepithelial features by the eye field cells, which is clear at ultrastructual level. Indeed, ethanol disrupts the acquisition of fusiform cellular shapes within the eye field. In addition, tight junctions do not form and retinal progenitors do not properly polarize, as suggested by the mis-localization and down-regulation of zo1. We also show that the ethanol-induced cyclopic phenotype is significantly different to that observed in cyclopic mutants, suggesting a complex effect of ethanol on a variety of targets.

Our results show that ethanol not only disrupts the expression pattern of genes involved in retinal morphogenesis, such as rx3 and rx1, but also disrupts the changes in cell polarity that normally occur during eye field splitting. Thus, ethylic teratology seems to be related not only to modifications in gene expression and cell death but also to alterations in cell morphology.

The differentiation and movement of presomitic mesoderm progenitor cells are controlled by Mesogenin 1

Somites are formed from the presomitic mesoderm (PSM) and give rise to the axial skeleton and skeletal muscles. The PSM is dynamic; somites are generated at the anterior end, while the posterior end is continually renewed with new cells entering from the tailbud progenitor region. Which genes control the conversion of tailbud progenitors into PSM and how is this process coordinated with cell movement? Using loss- and gain-of-function experiments and heat-shock transgenics we show in zebrafish that the transcription factor Mesogenin 1 (Msgn1), acting with Spadetail (Spt), has a central role. Msgn1 allows progression of the PSM differentiation program by switching off the progenitor maintenance genes ntl, wnt3a, wnt8 and fgf8 in the future PSM cells as they exit from the tailbud, and subsequently induces expression of PSM markers such as tbx24. msgn1 is itself positively regulated by Ntl/Wnt/Fgf, creating a negative-feedback loop that might be crucial to regulate homeostasis of the progenitor population until somitogenesis ends. Msgn1 drives not only the changes in gene expression in the nascent PSM cells but also the movements by which they stream out of the tailbud into the PSM. Loss of Msgn1 reduces the flux of cells out of the tailbud, producing smaller somites and an enlarged tailbud, and, by delaying exhaustion of the progenitor population, results in supernumerary tail somites. Through its combined effects on gene expression and cell movement, Msgn1 (with Spt) plays a key role both in genesis of the paraxial mesoderm and in maintenance of the progenitor population from which it derives.

Single-cell-resolution imaging of the impact of Notch signaling and mitosis on segmentation clock dynamics

Vertebrate body segmentation is controlled by the segmentation clock, a molecular oscillator involving transcriptional oscillations of cyclic genes in presomitic mesoderm cells. The rapid and highly dynamic nature of this oscillating system has proved challenging for study at the single-cell level. We achieved visualization of clock activity with a cellular level of resolution in living embryos, allowing direct comparison of oscillations in neighbor cells. We provide direct evidence that presomitic mesoderm cells oscillate asynchronously in zebrafish Notch pathway mutants. By tracking oscillations in mitotic cells, we reveal that a robust cell-autonomous, Notch-independent mechanism resumes oscillations after mitosis. Finally, we find that cells preferentially divide at a certain oscillation phase, likely reducing the noise generated by cell division in cell synchrony and suggesting an intriguing relationship between the mitotic cycle and clock oscillation.

Particle dynamics simulations of Turing patterns

The direct simulation Monte Carlo method is used to reproduce Turing patterns at the microscopic level in reaction-diffusion systems. In order to satisfy the basic condition for the development of such a spatial structure, we propose a model involving a solvent, which allows for disparate diffusivities of individual reactive species. One-dimensional structures are simulated in systems of various lengths. Simulation results agree with the macroscopic predictions obtained by integration of the reaction-diffusion equations. Additional effects due to internal fluctuations are observed, such as temporal transitions between structures of different wavelengths in a confined system. For a structure developing behind a propagating wave front, the fluctuations suppress the induction period and accelerate the formation of the Turing pattern. These results support the ability of reaction-diffusion models to robustly reproduce axial segmentation including the formation of early vertebrae or somites in noisy biological environments.

Segmental assembly of fibronectin matrix requires rap1b and integrin α5

BACKGROUND

During segmentation of the zebrafish embryo, inside-out signaling activates Integrin α5, which is necessary for somite border morphogenesis. The direct activator of Integrin α5 during this process is unknown. One candidate is Rap1b, a small monomeric GTPase implicated in Integrin activation in the immune system.

RESULTS

Knockdown of rap1b, or overexpression of a dominant negative rap1b, causes a mild axis elongation defect in zebrafish. However, disruption of rap1b function in integrin α5(-/-) mutants results in a strong reduction in Fibronectin (FN) matrix assembly in the paraxial mesoderm and a failure in somite border morphogenesis along the entire anterior-posterior axis. Somite patterning appears unaffected, as her1 oscillations are maintained in single and double morphants/mutants, but somite polarity is gradually lost in itgα5(-/-) ; rap1b MO embryos.

CONCLUSIONS

In itgα5(-) (/) (-) mutants, rap1b is required for proper somite border morphogenesis in zebrafish. The loss of somite borders is not a result of aberrant segmental patterning. Rather, somite boundary formation initiates but is not completed, due to the failure to assemble FN matrix along the nascent boundary. We propose a model in which Rap1b activates Integrin/Fibronectin receptors as part of an "inside-out" signaling pathway that promotes Integrin binding to FN, FN matrix assembly, and subsequent stabilization of morphological somite boundaries.

Experiments, measurements, and mathematical modeling to decipher time signals in development

Good progress has been made in identifying key signaling molecules and explaining how they are used to generate spatial patterns during embryonic development. In contrast, little is known about the control of timing or how cells use time signals in the developing embryo. In this review, I describe how direct measurements from the embryo combined with mathematical modeling could bring new insights. To illustrate this point, I discuss three examples: the Dpp gradient during growth of the Drosophila wing imaginal disc; the Polycomb-based epigenetic silencing during vernalization in plants; and the Notch-dependent somite segmentation clock.

'In parallel' interconnectivity of the dorsal longitudinal anastomotic vessels requires both VEGF signaling and circulatory flow

Blood vessels deliver oxygen, nutrients, hormones and immunity factors throughout the body. To perform these vital functions, vascular cords branch, lumenize and interconnect. Yet, little is known about the cellular, molecular and physiological mechanisms that control how circulatory networks form and interconnect. Specifically, how circulatory networks merge by interconnecting 'in parallel' along their boundaries remains unexplored. To examine this process we studied the formation and functional maturation of the plexus that forms between the dorsal longitudinal anastomotic vessels (DLAVs) in the zebrafish. We find that the migration and proliferation of endothelial cells within the DLAVs and their segmental (Se) vessel precursors drives DLAV plexus formation. Remarkably, the presence of Se vessels containing only endothelial cells of the arterial lineage is sufficient for DLAV plexus morphogenesis, suggesting that endothelial cells from the venous lineage make a dispensable or null contribution to this process. The discovery of a circuit that integrates the inputs of circulatory flow and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling to modulate aortic arch angiogenesis, together with the expression of components of this circuit in the trunk vasculature, prompted us to investigate the role of these inputs and their relationship during DLAV plexus formation. We find that circulatory flow and VEGF signaling make additive contributions to DLAV plexus morphogenesis, rather than acting as essential inputs with equivalent contributions as they do during aortic arch angiogenesis. Our observations underscore the existence of context-dependent differences in the integration of physiological stimuli and signaling cascades during vascular development.

Topology and dynamics of the zebrafish segmentation clock core circuit

By combining biochemical, embryological, and mathematical approaches, this work uncovers an important role for protein-protein interactions in determining the dynamics of the somite-forming segmentation clock in vertebrates.

During vertebrate embryogenesis, the rhythmic and sequential segmentation of the body axis is regulated by an oscillating genetic network termed the segmentation clock. We describe a new dynamic model for the core pace-making circuit of the zebrafish segmentation clock based on a systematic biochemical investigation of the network's topology and precise measurements of somitogenesis dynamics in novel genetic mutants. We show that the core pace-making circuit consists of two distinct negative feedback loops, one with Her1 homodimers and the other with Her7:Hes6 heterodimers, operating in parallel. To explain the observed single and double mutant phenotypes of her1, her7, and hes6 mutant embryos in our dynamic model, we postulate that the availability and effective stability of the dimers with DNA binding activity is controlled in a “dimer cloud” that contains all possible dimeric combinations between the three factors. This feature of our model predicts that Hes6 protein levels should oscillate despite constant hes6 mRNA production, which we confirm experimentally using novel Hes6 antibodies. The control of the circuit's dynamics by a population of dimers with and without DNA binding activity is a new principle for the segmentation clock and may be relevant to other biological clocks and transcriptional regulatory networks.

The segmented pattern of the vertebral column, one of the defining features of the vertebrate body, is established during embryogenesis. The embryo's segments, called somites, form sequentially and rhythmically from head to tail. The periodicity of somite formation is regulated by the segmentation clock, a genetic oscillator that ticks in the posterior-most embryonic tissue: for each tick of the clock, one new bilateral pair of segments is made. The period of the clock appears to determine the number and the length of segments, but what controls this periodicity? In this article, we have investigated the interactions of three transcription factors that form the core of the clock's regulatory circuit, and have measured how the period of segmentation changes when these factors are mutated alone or in combination. We find that these three factors contribute to a “dimer cloud” that contains all possible dimeric combinations; however, only two dimers in this cloud can bind DNA, which allows them to directly regulate the oscillatory gene expression that underpins the periodicity of segment formation. Nevertheless, a mathematical model of the clock's dynamics based on our experimental findings indicates that the non-DNA-binding dimers also influence the stability, and hence the function, of the two DNA-binding dimers controlling the segmentation clock's period. Such involvement of non-DNA-binding dimers is a novel regulatory principle for the segmentation clock, which might also be a general mechanism that operates in other biological clocks.

Fss/Tbx6 is required for central dermomyotome cell fate in zebrafish

The dermomyotome is a pool of progenitor cells on the surface of the myotome. In zebrafish, dermomyotome precursors (anterior border cells, ABCs) can be first identified in the anterior portion of recently formed somites. They must be prevented from undergoing terminal differentiation during segmentation, even while mesodermal cells around them respond to signaling cues and differentiate.

T-box containing transcription factors regulate many aspects of mesoderm fate including segmentation and somite patterning. The fused somites (fss) gene is the zebrafish ortholog of tbx6. We demonstrate that in addition to its requirement for segmentation, fss/tbx6 is also required for the specification of ABCs and subsequently the central dermomyotome. The absence of Tbx6-dependent central dermomyotome cells in fss/tbx6 mutants is spatially coincident with a patterning defect in the myotome.

Using transgenic fish with a heat-shock inducible tbx6 gene in the fss/tbx6 mutant background, we further demonstrate that ubiquitous fss/tbx6 expression has spatially distinct effects on recovery of the dermomyotome and segment boundaries, suggesting that the mechanism of Fss/Tbx6 action is distinct with respect to dermomyotome development and segmentation.

We propose that Fss/Tbx6 is required for preventing myogenic differentiation of central dermomyotome precursors before and after segmentation and that central dermomyotome cells represent a genetically and functionally distinct subpopulation within the zebrafish dermomyotome.

Macondo crude oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disrupts specific developmental processes during zebrafish embryogenesis

Background

The Deepwater Horizon disaster was the largest marine oil spill in history, and total vertical exposure of oil to the water column suggests it could impact an enormous diversity of ecosystems. The most vulnerable organisms are those encountering these pollutants during their early life stages. Water-soluble components of crude oil and specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have been shown to cause defects in cardiovascular and craniofacial development in a variety of teleost species, but the developmental origins of these defects have yet to be determined. We have adopted zebrafish, Danio rerio, as a model to test whether water accumulated fractions (WAF) of the Deepwater Horizon oil could impact specific embryonic developmental processes. While not a native species to the Gulf waters, the developmental biology of zebrafish has been well characterized and makes it a powerful model system to reveal the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind Macondo crude toxicity.

Results

WAF of Macondo crude oil sampled during the oil spill was used to treat zebrafish throughout embryonic and larval development. Our results indicate that the Macondo crude oil causes a variety of significant defects in zebrafish embryogenesis, but these defects have specific developmental origins. WAF treatments caused defects in craniofacial development and circulatory function similar to previous reports, but we extend these results to show they are likely derived from an earlier defect in neural crest cell development. Moreover, we demonstrate that exposure to WAFs causes a variety of novel deformations in specific developmental processes, including programmed cell death, locomotor behavior, sensory and motor axon pathfinding, somitogenesis and muscle patterning. Interestingly, the severity of cell death and muscle phenotypes decreased over several months of repeated analysis, which was correlated with a rapid drop-off in the aromatic and alkane hydrocarbon components of the oil.

Conclusions

Whether these teratogenic effects are unique to the oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill or generalizable for most crude oil types remains to be determined. This work establishes a model for further investigation into the molecular mechanisms behind crude oil mediated deformations. In addition, due to the high conservation of genetic and cellular processes between zebrafish and other vertebrates, our work also provides a platform for more focused assessment of the impact that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has had on the early life stages of native fish species in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

Ccdc80-l1 Is involved in axon pathfinding of zebrafish motoneurons

Axon pathfinding is a subfield of neural development by which neurons send out axons to reach the correct targets. In particular, motoneurons extend their axons toward skeletal muscles, leading to spontaneous motor activity. In this study, we identified the zebrafish Ccdc80 and Ccdc80-like1 (Ccdc80-l1) proteins in silico on the basis of their high aminoacidic sequence identity with the human CCDC80 (Coiled-Coil Domain Containing 80). We focused on ccdc80-l1 gene that is expressed in nervous and non-nervous tissues, in particular in territories correlated with axonal migration, such as adaxial cells and muscle pioneers. Loss of ccdc80-l1 in zebrafish embryos induced motility issues, although somitogenesis and myogenesis were not impaired. Our results strongly suggest that ccdc80-l1 is involved in axon guidance of primary and secondary motoneurons populations, but not in their proper formation. ccdc80-l1 has a differential role as regards the development of ventral and dorsal motoneurons, and this is consistent with the asymmetric distribution of the transcript. The axonal migration defects observed in ccdc80-l1 loss-of-function embryos are similar to the phenotype of several mutants with altered Hedgehog activity. Indeed, we reported that ccdc80-l1 expression is positively regulated by the Hedgehog pathway in adaxial cells and muscle pioneers. These findings strongly indicate ccdc80-l1 as a down-stream effector of the Hedgehog pathway.