1
|
Willoughby PM, Allen M, Yu J, Korytnikov R, Chen T, Liu Y, So I, Macpherson N, Mitchell JA, Fernandez-Gonzalez R, Bruce AE. The recycling endosome protein Rab25 coordinates collective cell movements in the zebrafish surface epithelium. eLife 2021; 10:66060. [PMID: 33755014 PMCID: PMC8034978 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In emerging epithelial tissues, cells undergo dramatic rearrangements to promote tissue shape changes. Dividing cells remain interconnected via transient cytokinetic bridges. Bridges are cleaved during abscission and currently, the consequences of disrupting abscission in developing epithelia are not well understood. We show that the Rab GTPase Rab25 localizes near cytokinetic midbodies and likely coordinates abscission through endomembrane trafficking in the epithelium of the zebrafish gastrula during epiboly. In maternal-zygotic Rab25a and Rab25b mutant embryos, morphogenic activity tears open persistent apical cytokinetic bridges that failed to undergo timely abscission. Cytokinesis defects result in anisotropic cell morphologies that are associated with a reduction of contractile actomyosin networks. This slows cell rearrangements and alters the viscoelastic responses of the tissue, all of which likely contribute to delayed epiboly. We present a model in which Rab25 trafficking coordinates cytokinetic bridge abscission and cortical actin density, impacting local cell shape changes and tissue-scale forces.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Molly Allen
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jessica Yu
- Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Translational Biology and Engineering Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Roman Korytnikov
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Tianhui Chen
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yupeng Liu
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Isis So
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Neil Macpherson
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jennifer A Mitchell
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Translational Biology and Engineering Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ashley Ee Bruce
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Green DG, Whitener AE, Mohanty S, Mistretta B, Gunaratne P, Yeh AT, Lekven AC. Wnt signaling regulates neural plate patterning in distinct temporal phases with dynamic transcriptional outputs. Dev Biol 2020; 462:152-164. [PMID: 32243887 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The process that partitions the nascent vertebrate central nervous system into forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain, and spinal cord after neural induction is of fundamental interest in developmental biology, and is known to be dependent on Wnt/β-catenin signaling at multiple steps. Neural induction specifies neural ectoderm with forebrain character that is subsequently posteriorized by graded Wnt signaling: embryological and mutant analyses have shown that progressively higher levels of Wnt signaling induce progressively more posterior fates. However, the mechanistic link between Wnt signaling and the molecular subdivision of the neural ectoderm into distinct domains in the anteroposterior (AP) axis is still not clear. To better understand how Wnt mediates neural AP patterning, we performed a temporal dissection of neural patterning in response to manipulations of Wnt signaling in zebrafish. We show that Wnt-mediated neural patterning in zebrafish can be divided into three phases: (I) a primary AP patterning phase, which occurs during gastrulation, (II) a mes/r1 (mesencephalon-rhombomere 1) specification and refinement phase, which occurs immediately after gastrulation, and (III) a midbrain-hindbrain boundary (MHB) morphogenesis phase, which occurs during segmentation stages. A major outcome of these Wnt signaling phases is the specification of the major compartment divisions of the developing brain: first the MHB, then the diencephalic-mesencephalic boundary (DMB). The specification of these lineage divisions depends upon the dynamic changes of gene transcription in response to Wnt signaling, which we show primarily involves transcriptional repression or indirect activation. We show that otx2b is directly repressed by Wnt signaling during primary AP patterning, but becomes resistant to Wnt-mediated repression during late gastrulation. Also during late gastrulation, Wnt signaling becomes both necessary and sufficient for expression of wnt8b, en2a, and her5 in mes/r1. We suggest that the change in otx2b response to Wnt regulation enables a transition to the mes/r1 phase of Wnt-mediated patterning, as it ensures that Wnts expressed in the midbrain and MHB do not suppress midbrain identity, and consequently reinforce formation of the DMB. These findings integrate important temporal elements into our spatial understanding of Wnt-mediated neural patterning and may serve as an important basis for a better understanding of neural patterning defects that have implications in human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David G Green
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-5001, USA
| | - Amy E Whitener
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-3258, USA
| | - Saurav Mohanty
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-5001, USA
| | - Brandon Mistretta
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-5001, USA
| | - Preethi Gunaratne
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-5001, USA
| | - Alvin T Yeh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-3120, USA
| | - Arne C Lekven
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-5001, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Economou AD, Hill CS. Temporal dynamics in the formation and interpretation of Nodal and BMP morphogen gradients. Curr Top Dev Biol 2019; 137:363-389. [PMID: 32143749 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2019.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lekven AC, Lilie CJ, Gibbs HC, Green DG, Singh A, Yeh AT. Analysis of the wnt1 regulatory chromosomal landscape. Dev Genes Evol 2019; 229:43-52. [PMID: 30825002 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-019-00629-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
One of the earliest patterning events in the vertebrate neural plate is the specification of mes/r1, the territory comprising the prospective mesencephalon and the first hindbrain rhombomere. Within mes/r1, an interface of gene expression defines the midbrain-hindbrain boundary (MHB), a lineage restriction that separates the mesencephalon and rhombencephalon. wnt1 is critical to mes/r1 development and functions within the MHB as a component of the MHB gene regulatory network (GRN). Despite its importance to these critical and early steps of vertebrate neurogenesis, little is known about the factors responsible for wnt1 transcriptional regulation. In the zebrafish, wnt1 and its neighboring paralog, wnt10b, are expressed in largely overlapping patterns, suggesting co-regulation. To understand wnt1 and wnt10b transcriptional control, we used a comparative genomics approach to identify relevant enhancers. We show that the wnt1-wnt10b locus contains multiple cis-regulatory elements that likely interact to generate the wnt1 and wnt10b expression patterns. Two of 11 conserved enhancers tested show activity restricted to the midbrain and MHB, an activity that is conserved in the distantly related spotted gar orthologous elements. Three non-conserved elements also play a likely role in wnt1 regulation. The identified enhancers display dynamic modes of chromatin accessibility, suggesting controlled deployment during embryogenesis. Our results suggest that the control of wnt1 and wnt10b expression is under complex regulation involving the interaction of multiple enhancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arne C Lekven
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-5001, USA. .,Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-3258, USA.
| | - Craig J Lilie
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-3258, USA
| | - Holly C Gibbs
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-3120, USA
| | - David G Green
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-5001, USA
| | - Avantika Singh
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-3258, USA
| | - Alvin T Yeh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-3120, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fei Z, Bae K, Parent SE, Wan H, Goodwin K, Theisen U, Tanentzapf G, Bruce AEE. A cargo model of yolk syncytial nuclear migration during zebrafish epiboly. Development 2019; 146:dev.169664. [PMID: 30509968 DOI: 10.1242/dev.169664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
In teleost fish, the multinucleate yolk syncytial layer functions as an extra-embryonic signaling center to pattern mesendoderm, coordinate morphogenesis and supply nutrients to the embryo. External yolk syncytial nuclei (e-YSN) undergo microtubule-dependent movements that distribute the nuclei over the large yolk mass. How e-YSN migration proceeds, and the role of the yolk microtubules, is not understood, but it is proposed that e-YSN are pulled vegetally as the microtubule network shortens from the vegetal pole. Live imaging revealed that nuclei migrate along microtubules, consistent with a cargo model in which e-YSN are moved down the microtubules by direct association with motor proteins. We found that blocking the plus-end directed microtubule motor kinesin significantly attenuated yolk nuclear movement. Blocking the outer nuclear membrane LINC complex protein Syne2a also slowed e-YSN movement. We propose that e-YSN movement is mediated by the LINC complex, which functions as the adaptor between yolk nuclei and motor proteins. Our work provides new insights into the role of microtubules in morphogenesis of an extra-embryonic tissue and further contributes to the understanding of nuclear migration mechanisms during development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhonghui Fei
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Koeun Bae
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Serge E Parent
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Haoyu Wan
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Katharine Goodwin
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, Vancouver Campus, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Ulrike Theisen
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, TU Braunschweig, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Guy Tanentzapf
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, Vancouver Campus, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Ashley E E Bruce
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hino H, Nakanishi A, Seki R, Aoki T, Yamaha E, Kawahara A, Shimizu T, Hibi M. Roles of maternal wnt8a transcripts in axis formation in zebrafish. Dev Biol 2017; 434:96-107. [PMID: 29208373 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Revised: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In early zebrafish development, the program for dorsal axis formation begins soon after fertilization. Previous studies suggested that dorsal determinants (DDs) localize to the vegetal pole, and are transported to the dorsal blastomeres in a microtubule-dependent manner. The DDs activate the canonical Wnt pathway and induce dorsal-specific genes that are required for dorsal axis formation. Among wnt-family genes, only the wnt8a mRNA is reported to localize to the vegetal pole in oocytes and to induce the dorsal axis, suggesting that Wnt8a is a candidate DD. Here, to reveal the roles of maternal wnt8a, we generated wnt8a mutants by transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and established zygotic, maternal, and maternal zygotic wnt8a mutants by germ-line replacement. Zebrafish wnt8a has two open reading frames (ORF1 and ORF2) that are tandemly located in the genome. Although the zygotic ORF1 or ORF2 wnt8a mutants showed little or no axis-formation defects, the ORF1/2 compound mutants showed antero-dorsalized phenotypes, indicating that ORF1 and ORF2 have redundant roles in ventrolateral and posterior tissue formation. Unexpectedly, the maternal wnt8a ORF1/2 mutants showed no axis-formation defects. The maternal-zygotic wnt8a ORF1/2 mutants showed more severe antero-dorsalized phenotypes than the zygotic mutants. These results indicated that maternal wnt8a is dispensable for the initial dorsal determination, but cooperates with zygotic wnt8a for ventrolateral and posterior tissue formation. Finally, we re-examined the maternal wnt genes and found that Wnt6a is an alternative candidate DD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hiromu Hino
- Laboratory of Organogenesis and Organ Function, Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan; Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Akiko Nakanishi
- Laboratory of Organogenesis and Organ Function, Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Ryoko Seki
- Laboratory of Organogenesis and Organ Function, Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Tsubasa Aoki
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Etsuro Yamaha
- Nanae Fresh Water Laboratory, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Nanae, Kameda, Hokkaido 041-1105, Japan
| | - Atsuo Kawahara
- Laboratory for Developmental Biology, Center for Medical Education and Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Science, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan
| | - Takashi Shimizu
- Laboratory of Organogenesis and Organ Function, Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan; Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Masahiko Hibi
- Laboratory of Organogenesis and Organ Function, Bioscience and Biotechnology Center, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan; Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
The Chromatin Remodeling Protein Bptf Promotes Posterior Neuroectodermal Fate by Enhancing Smad2-Activated wnt8a Expression. J Neurosci 2015; 35:8493-506. [PMID: 26041917 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0377-15.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
During vertebrate embryogenesis, the neuroectoderm is induced from dorsal ectoderm and then partitioned into anterior and posterior neuroectodermal domains by posteriorizing signals, such as Wnt and fibroblast growth factor. However, little is known about epigenetic regulation of posteriorizing gene expression. Here, we report a requirement of the chromatin remodeling protein Bptf for neuroectodermal posteriorization in zebrafish embryos. Knockdown of bptf leads to an expansion of the anterior neuroectoderm at the expense of the posterior ectoderm. Bptf functionally and physically interacts with p-Smad2, which is activated by non-Nodal TGF-β signaling, to promote the expression of wnt8a, a critical gene for neural posteriorization. Bptf and Smad2 directly bind to and activate the wnt8a promoter through recruiting NURF remodeling complex. When bptf function or TGF-β signal transduction is inhibited, the nucleosome density on the wnt8a promoter is increased. We propose that Bptf and TGF-β/Smad2 mediate nucleosome remodeling to regulate wnt8a expression and hence neural posteriorization.
Collapse
|
8
|
Mwafi N, Beretta CA, Paolini A, Carl M. Divergent Wnt8a gene expression in teleosts. PLoS One 2014; 9:e85303. [PMID: 24465531 PMCID: PMC3896364 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2013] [Accepted: 11/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The analysis of genes in evolutionarily distant but morphologically similar species is of major importance to unravel the changes in genomes over millions of years, which led to gene silencing and functional diversification. We report the analysis of Wnt8a gene expression in the medakafish and provide a detailed comparison to other vertebrates. In all teleosts analyzed there are two paralogous Wnt8a copies. These show largely overlapping expression in the early developing zebrafish embryo, an evolutionarily distant relative of medaka. In contrast to zebrafish, we find that both maternal and zygotic expression of particularly one Wnt8a paralog has diverged in medaka. While Wnt8a1 expression is mostly conserved at early embryonic stages, the expression of Wnt8a2 differs markedly. In addition, both genes are distinctly expressed during organogenesis unlike the zebrafish homologs, which may hint at the emergence of functional diversification of Wnt8a ligands during evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nesrin Mwafi
- Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carlo A. Beretta
- Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Alessio Paolini
- Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Matthias Carl
- Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Mannheim, Germany
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wylie AD, Fleming JAGW, Whitener AE, Lekven AC. Post-transcriptional regulation of wnt8a is essential to zebrafish axis development. Dev Biol 2013; 386:53-63. [PMID: 24333179 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2013] [Revised: 11/11/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
wnt8a Is essential for normal patterning during vertebrate embryonic development, and either gain or loss-of-function gene dysregulation results in severe axis malformations. The zebrafish wnt8a locus is structured such that transcripts may possess two regulatory 3' untranslated regions (UTRs), raising the possibility of post-transcriptional regulation as an important mode of wnt8a signaling control. To determine whether both UTRs contribute to post-transcriptional wnt8a gene regulation, each UTR (UTR1 and UTR2) was tested in transient and transgenic reporter assays. Both UTRs suppress EGFP reporter expression in cis, with UTR2 exhibiting a more pronounced effect. UTR2 contains a 6 base sequence necessary for UTR2 regulatory function that is complementary to the seed of the microRNA, miR-430. A target protector morpholino that overlaps the seed complement stabilizes both reporter mRNAs and wnt8a mRNAs, and produces phenotypic abnormalities consistent with wnt8a gain-of-function. In rescue assays, specific functions can be attributed to each of the two wnt8a proteins encoded by the locus. An interplay of wnt8a.1 and wnt8a.2 regulates neural and mesodermal patterning and morphogenesis as well as patterning between brain subdivisions. Thus, post-transcriptional control of wnt8a is essential to fine tune the balance of the signaling outputs of the complex wnt8a locus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annika D Wylie
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-3258, United States
| | - Jo-Ann G W Fleming
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-3258, United States
| | - Amy E Whitener
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-3258, United States
| | - Arne C Lekven
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, 3258 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-3258, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Nelson AC, Wardle FC. Conserved non-coding elements and cis regulation: actions speak louder than words. Development 2013; 140:1385-95. [PMID: 23482485 DOI: 10.1242/dev.084459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
It is a truth (almost) universally acknowledged that conserved non-coding genomic sequences function in the cis regulation of neighbouring genes. But is this a misconception? The literature is strewn with examples of conserved non-coding sequences being able to drive reporter expression, but the extent to which such sequences are actually used endogenously in vivo is only now being rigorously explored using unbiased genome-scale approaches. Here, we review the emerging picture, examining the extent to which conserved non-coding sequences equivalently regulate gene expression in different species, or at different developmental stages, and how genomics approaches are revealing the relationship between sequence conservation and functional use of cis-regulatory elements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Nelson
- Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's House, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|