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Samrani LMM, Pennings JLA, Hallmark N, Bars R, Tinwell H, Pallardy M, Piersma AH. Dynamic regulation of gene expression and morphogenesis in the zebrafish embryo test after exposure to all-trans retinoic acid. Reprod Toxicol 2023; 115:8-16. [PMID: 36375755 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The zebrafish embryotoxicity test (ZET) is widely used in developmental toxicology. The analysis of gene expression regulation in ZET after chemical exposure provides mechanistic information about the effects of chemicals on morphogenesis in the test. The gene expression response magnitude has been shown to change with exposure duration. The objective of this work is to study the effect of the exposure duration on the magnitude of gene expression changes in the all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) signaling pathway in the ZET. Retinoic acid regulation is a key driver of morphogenesis and is therefore employed here as an indicator for the regulation of developmental genes. A teratogenic concentration of 7.5 nM of ATRA was given at 3 hrs post fertilization (hpf) for a range of exposure durations until 120 hrs of development. The expression of a selection of genes related to ATRA signaling and downstream developmental genes was determined. The highest magnitudes of gene expression regulation were observed after 2-24 hrs exposure with an optimal response after 4 hrs. Longer exposures showed a decrease in the gene expression response, although continued exposure to 120 hpf caused malformations and lethality. This study shows that assessment of gene expression regulation at early time points after the onset of exposure in the ZET may be optimal for the prediction of developmental toxicity. We believe these results could help optimize sensitivity in future studies with ZET.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M M Samrani
- Centre for Health Protection National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands; Université Paris-Saclay, Inflammation, Microbiome and Immunosurveillance, INSERM, Faculté Pharmacie, Châtenay-Malabry 92296, France; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
| | - Jeroen L A Pennings
- Centre for Health Protection National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Marc Pallardy
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inflammation, Microbiome and Immunosurveillance, INSERM, Faculté Pharmacie, Châtenay-Malabry 92296, France
| | - Aldert H Piersma
- Centre for Health Protection National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, the Netherlands
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2
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Lin CY, Lu MYJ, Yue JX, Li KL, Le Pétillon Y, Yong LW, Chen YH, Tsai FY, Lyu YF, Chen CY, Hwang SPL, Su YH, Yu JK. Molecular asymmetry in the cephalochordate embryo revealed by single-blastomere transcriptome profiling. PLoS Genet 2021; 16:e1009294. [PMID: 33382716 PMCID: PMC7806126 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies in various animals have shown that asymmetrically localized maternal transcripts play important roles in axial patterning and cell fate specification in early embryos. However, comprehensive analyses of the maternal transcriptomes with spatial information are scarce and limited to a handful of model organisms. In cephalochordates (amphioxus), an early branching chordate group, maternal transcripts of germline determinants form a compact granule that is inherited by a single blastomere during cleavage stages. Further blastomere separation experiments suggest that other transcripts associated with the granule are likely responsible for organizing the posterior structure in amphioxus; however, the identities of these determinants remain unknown. In this study, we used high-throughput RNA sequencing of separated blastomeres to examine asymmetrically localized transcripts in two-cell and eight-cell stage embryos of the amphioxus Branchiostoma floridae. We identified 111 and 391 differentially enriched transcripts at the 2-cell stage and the 8-cell stage, respectively, and used in situ hybridization to validate the spatial distribution patterns for a subset of these transcripts. The identified transcripts could be categorized into two major groups: (1) vegetal tier/germ granule-enriched and (2) animal tier/anterior-enriched transcripts. Using zebrafish as a surrogate model system, we showed that overexpression of one animal tier/anterior-localized amphioxus transcript, zfp665, causes a dorsalization/anteriorization phenotype in zebrafish embryos by downregulating the expression of the ventral gene, eve1, suggesting a potential function of zfp665 in early axial patterning. Our results provide a global transcriptomic blueprint for early-stage amphioxus embryos. This dataset represents a rich platform to guide future characterization of molecular players in early amphioxus development and to elucidate conservation and divergence of developmental programs during chordate evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che-Yi Lin
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Yeh Jade Lu
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Xing Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kun-Lung Li
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yann Le Pétillon
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Luok Wen Yong
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hua Chen
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Yu Tsai
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Feng Lyu
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yi Chen
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Ping L. Hwang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsien Su
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- * E-mail: (Y-HS); (J-KY)
| | - Jr-Kai Yu
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Yilan, Taiwan
- * E-mail: (Y-HS); (J-KY)
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Takebayashi-Suzuki K, Suzuki A. Intracellular Communication among Morphogen Signaling Pathways during Vertebrate Body Plan Formation. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E341. [PMID: 32213808 PMCID: PMC7141137 DOI: 10.3390/genes11030341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
During embryonic development in vertebrates, morphogens play an important role in cell fate determination and morphogenesis. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belonging to the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family control the dorsal-ventral (DV) patterning of embryos, whereas other morphogens such as fibroblast growth factor (FGF), Wnt family members, and retinoic acid (RA) regulate the formation of the anterior-posterior (AP) axis. Activation of morphogen signaling results in changes in the expression of target genes including transcription factors that direct cell fate along the body axes. To ensure the correct establishment of the body plan, the processes of DV and AP axis formation must be linked and coordinately regulated by a fine-tuning of morphogen signaling. In this review, we focus on the interplay of various intracellular regulatory mechanisms and discuss how communication among morphogen signaling pathways modulates body axis formation in vertebrate embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimiko Takebayashi-Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
| | - Atsushi Suzuki
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Amphibian Research Center, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
There is now compelling evidence that many arthropods pattern their segments using a clock-and-wavefront mechanism, analogous to that operating during vertebrate somitogenesis. In this Review, we discuss how the arthropod segmentation clock generates a repeating sequence of pair-rule gene expression, and how this is converted into a segment-polarity pattern by ‘timing factor’ wavefronts associated with axial extension. We argue that the gene regulatory network that patterns segments may be relatively conserved, although the timing of segmentation varies widely, and double-segment periodicity appears to have evolved at least twice. Finally, we describe how the repeated evolution of a simultaneous (Drosophila-like) mode of segmentation within holometabolan insects can be explained by heterochronic shifts in timing factor expression plus extensive pre-patterning of the pair-rule genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Clark
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Andrew D. Peel
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Michael Akam
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
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Organization of Embryonic Morphogenesis via Mechanical Information. Dev Cell 2019; 49:829-839.e5. [PMID: 31178400 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2019.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Embryonic organizers establish gradients of diffusible signaling molecules to pattern the surrounding cells. Here, we elucidate an additional mechanism of embryonic organizers that is a secondary consequence of morphogen signaling. Using pharmacological and localized transgenic perturbations, 4D imaging of the zebrafish embryo, systematic analysis of cell motion, and computational modeling, we find that the vertebrate tail organizer orchestrates morphogenesis over distances beyond the range of morphogen signaling. The organizer regulates the rate and coherence of cell motion in the elongating embryo using mechanical information that is transmitted via relay between neighboring cells. This mechanism is similar to a pressure front in granular media and other jammed systems, but in the embryo the mechanical information emerges from self-propelled cell movement and not force transfer between cells. The propagation likely relies upon local biochemical signaling that affects cell contractility, cell adhesion, and/or cell polarity but is independent of transcription and translation.
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Takebayashi-Suzuki K, Konishi H, Miyamoto T, Nagata T, Uchida M, Suzuki A. Coordinated regulation of the dorsal-ventral and anterior-posterior patterning ofXenopusembryos by the BTB/POZ zinc finger protein Zbtb14. Dev Growth Differ 2018; 60:158-173. [DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kimiko Takebayashi-Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center; Graduate School of Science; Hiroshima University; Higashi-Hiroshima Japan
| | - Hidenori Konishi
- Amphibian Research Center; Graduate School of Science; Hiroshima University; Higashi-Hiroshima Japan
| | - Tatsuo Miyamoto
- Amphibian Research Center; Graduate School of Science; Hiroshima University; Higashi-Hiroshima Japan
| | - Tomoko Nagata
- Amphibian Research Center; Graduate School of Science; Hiroshima University; Higashi-Hiroshima Japan
| | - Misa Uchida
- Amphibian Research Center; Graduate School of Science; Hiroshima University; Higashi-Hiroshima Japan
| | - Atsushi Suzuki
- Amphibian Research Center; Graduate School of Science; Hiroshima University; Higashi-Hiroshima Japan
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Dong X, Li J, He L, Gu C, Jia W, Yue Y, Li J, Zhang Q, Chu L, Zhao Q. Zebrafish Znfl1 proteins control the expression of hoxb1b gene in the posterior neuroectoderm by acting upstream of pou5f3 and sall4 genes. J Biol Chem 2017. [PMID: 28623229 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.777094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors play crucial roles in patterning posterior neuroectoderm. Previously, zinc finger transcription factor znfl1 was reported to be expressed in the posterior neuroectoderm of zebrafish embryos. However, its roles remain unknown. Here, we report that there are 13 copies of znfl1 in the zebrafish genome, and all the paralogues share highly identical protein sequences and cDNA sequences. When znfl1s are knocked down using a morpholino to inhibit their translation or dCas9-Eve to inhibit their transcription, the zebrafish gastrula displays reduced expression of hoxb1b, the marker gene for the posterior neuroectoderm. Further analyses reveal that diminishing znfl1s produces the decreased expressions of pou5f3, whereas overexpression of pou5f3 effectively rescues the reduced expression of hoxb1b in the posterior neuroectoderm. Additionally, knocking down znfl1s causes the reduced expression of sall4, a direct regulator of pou5f3, in the posterior neuroectoderm, and overexpression of sall4 rescues the expression of pou5f3 in the knockdown embryos. In contrast, knocking down either pou5f3 or sall4 does not affect the expressions of znfl1s Taken together, our results demonstrate that zebrafish znfl1s control the expression of hoxb1b in the posterior neuroectoderm by acting upstream of pou5f3 and sall4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohua Dong
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China; Institute of Genome Editing, Nanjing YSY Biotech Company, Limited, Nanjing 211812, China
| | - Jingyun Li
- Maternal and Child Health Medical Institute, Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Luqingqing He
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Chun Gu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Wenshuang Jia
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Yunyun Yue
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Jun Li
- Maternal and Child Health Medical Institute, Department of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Qinxin Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China
| | - Lele Chu
- Institute of Genome Editing, Nanjing YSY Biotech Company, Limited, Nanjing 211812, China
| | - Qingshun Zhao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Model Animal for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210061, China.
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The genome of the Gulf pipefish enables understanding of evolutionary innovations. Genome Biol 2016; 17:258. [PMID: 27993155 PMCID: PMC5168715 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-016-1126-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Evolutionary origins of derived morphologies ultimately stem from changes in protein structure, gene regulation, and gene content. A well-assembled, annotated reference genome is a central resource for pursuing these molecular phenomena underlying phenotypic evolution. We explored the genome of the Gulf pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli), which belongs to family Syngnathidae (pipefishes, seahorses, and seadragons). These fishes have dramatically derived bodies and a remarkable novelty among vertebrates, the male brood pouch. Results We produce a reference genome, condensed into chromosomes, for the Gulf pipefish. Gene losses and other changes have occurred in pipefish hox and dlx clusters and in the tbx and pitx gene families, candidate mechanisms for the evolution of syngnathid traits, including an elongated axis and the loss of ribs, pelvic fins, and teeth. We measure gene expression changes in pregnant versus non-pregnant brood pouch tissue and characterize the genomic organization of duplicated metalloprotease genes (patristacins) recruited into the function of this novel structure. Phylogenetic inference using ultraconserved sequences provides an alternative hypothesis for the relationship between orders Syngnathiformes and Scombriformes. Comparisons of chromosome structure among percomorphs show that chromosome number in a pipefish ancestor became reduced via chromosomal fusions. Conclusions The collected findings from this first syngnathid reference genome open a window into the genomic underpinnings of highly derived morphologies, demonstrating that de novo production of high quality and useful reference genomes is within reach of even small research groups. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-016-1126-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Juárez-Morales JL, Schulte CJ, Pezoa SA, Vallejo GK, Hilinski WC, England SJ, de Jager S, Lewis KE. Evx1 and Evx2 specify excitatory neurotransmitter fates and suppress inhibitory fates through a Pax2-independent mechanism. Neural Dev 2016; 11:5. [PMID: 26896392 PMCID: PMC4759709 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-016-0059-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND For neurons to function correctly in neuronal circuitry they must utilize appropriate neurotransmitters. However, even though neurotransmitter specificity is one of the most important and defining properties of a neuron we still do not fully understand how neurotransmitter fates are specified during development. Most neuronal properties are determined by the transcription factors that neurons express as they start to differentiate. While we know a few transcription factors that specify the neurotransmitter fates of particular neurons, there are still many spinal neurons for which the transcription factors specifying this critical phenotype are unknown. Strikingly, all of the transcription factors that have been identified so far as specifying inhibitory fates in the spinal cord act through Pax2. Even Tlx1 and Tlx3, which specify the excitatory fates of dI3 and dI5 spinal neurons work at least in part by down-regulating Pax2. METHODS In this paper we use single and double mutant zebrafish embryos to identify the spinal cord functions of Evx1 and Evx2. RESULTS We demonstrate that Evx1 and Evx2 are expressed by spinal cord V0v cells and we show that these cells develop into excitatory (glutamatergic) Commissural Ascending (CoSA) interneurons. In the absence of both Evx1 and Evx2, V0v cells still form and develop a CoSA morphology. However, they lose their excitatory fate and instead express markers of a glycinergic fate. Interestingly, they do not express Pax2, suggesting that they are acquiring their inhibitory fate through a novel Pax2-independent mechanism. CONCLUSIONS Evx1 and Evx2 are required, partially redundantly, for spinal cord V0v cells to become excitatory (glutamatergic) interneurons. These results significantly increase our understanding of the mechanisms of neuronal specification and the genetic networks involved in these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- José L Juárez-Morales
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Claus J Schulte
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Sofia A Pezoa
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Grace K Vallejo
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - William C Hilinski
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 505 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Samantha J England
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Sarah de Jager
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Katharine E Lewis
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA.
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Casari A, Schiavone M, Facchinello N, Vettori A, Meyer D, Tiso N, Moro E, Argenton F. A Smad3 transgenic reporter reveals TGF-beta control of zebrafish spinal cord development. Dev Biol 2014; 396:81-93. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2014] [Revised: 09/01/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Early lineage restriction in temporally distinct populations of Mesp1 progenitors during mammalian heart development. Nat Cell Biol 2014; 16:829-40. [PMID: 25150979 DOI: 10.1038/ncb3024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 195] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Accepted: 07/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cardiac development arises from two sources of mesoderm progenitors, the first heart field (FHF) and the second (SHF). Mesp1 has been proposed to mark the most primitive multipotent cardiac progenitors common for both heart fields. Here, using clonal analysis of the earliest prospective cardiovascular progenitors in a temporally controlled manner during early gastrulation, we found that Mesp1 progenitors consist of two temporally distinct pools of progenitors restricted to either the FHF or the SHF. FHF progenitors were unipotent, whereas SHF progenitors were either unipotent or bipotent. Microarray and single-cell PCR with reverse transcription analysis of Mesp1 progenitors revealed the existence of molecularly distinct populations of Mesp1 progenitors, consistent with their lineage and regional contribution. Together, these results provide evidence that heart development arises from distinct populations of unipotent and bipotent cardiac progenitors that independently express Mesp1 at different time points during their specification, revealing that the regional segregation and lineage restriction of cardiac progenitors occur very early during gastrulation.
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David B, Mooi R. How Hox genes can shed light on the place of echinoderms among the deuterostomes. EvoDevo 2014; 5:22. [PMID: 24959343 PMCID: PMC4066700 DOI: 10.1186/2041-9139-5-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Hox gene cluster ranks among the greatest of biological discoveries of the past 30 years. Morphogenetic patterning genes are remarkable for the systems they regulate during major ontogenetic events, and for their expressions of molecular, temporal, and spatial colinearity. Recent descriptions of exceptions to these colinearities are suggesting deep phylogenetic signal that can be used to explore origins of entire deuterostome phyla. Among the most enigmatic of these deuterostomes in terms of unique body patterning are the echinoderms. However, there remains no overall synthesis of the correlation between this signal and the variations observable in the presence/absence and expression patterns of Hox genes. Results Recent data from Hox cluster analyses shed light on how the bizarre shift from bilateral larvae to radial adults during echinoderm ontogeny can be accomplished by equally radical modifications within the Hox cluster. In order to explore this more fully, a compilation of observations on the genetic patterns among deuterostomes is integrated with the body patterning trajectories seen across the deuterostome clade. Conclusions Synthesis of available data helps to explain morphogenesis along the anterior/posterior axis of echinoderms, delineating the origins and fate of that axis during ontogeny. From this, it is easy to distinguish between ‘seriality’ along echinoderm rays and true A/P axis phenomena such as colinearity within the somatocoels, and the ontogenetic outcomes of the unique translocation and inversion of the anterior Hox class found within the Echinodermata. An up-to-date summary and integration of the disparate lines of research so far produced on the relationship between Hox genes and pattern formation for all deuterostomes allows for development of a phylogeny and scenario for the evolution of deuterostomes in general, and the Echinodermata in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno David
- UMR CNRS 6282 Biogéosciences, Université de Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Rich Mooi
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Geology, California Academy of Sciences, 94103 San Francisco, California, USA
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Buga AM, Scholz CJ, Kumar S, Herndon JG, Alexandru D, Cojocaru GR, Dandekar T, Popa-Wagner A. Identification of new therapeutic targets by genome-wide analysis of gene expression in the ipsilateral cortex of aged rats after stroke. PLoS One 2012; 7:e50985. [PMID: 23251410 PMCID: PMC3521001 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2011] [Accepted: 10/31/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Because most human stroke victims are elderly, studies of experimental stroke in the aged rather than the young rat model may be optimal for identifying clinically relevant cellular responses, as well for pinpointing beneficial interventions. Methodology/Principal Findings We employed the Affymetrix platform to analyze the whole-gene transcriptome following temporary ligation of the middle cerebral artery in aged and young rats. The correspondence, heat map, and dendrogram analyses independently suggest a differential, age-group-specific behaviour of major gene clusters after stroke. Overall, the pattern of gene expression strongly suggests that the response of the aged rat brain is qualitatively rather than quantitatively different from the young, i.e. the total number of regulated genes is comparable in the two age groups, but the aged rats had great difficulty in mounting a timely response to stroke. Our study indicates that four genes related to neuropathic syndrome, stress, anxiety disorders and depression (Acvr1c, Cort, Htr2b and Pnoc) may have impaired response to stroke in aged rats. New therapeutic options in aged rats may also include Calcrl, Cyp11b1, Prcp, Cebpa, Cfd, Gpnmb, Fcgr2b, Fcgr3a, Tnfrsf26, Adam 17 and Mmp14. An unexpected target is the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A synthase 1 in aged rats, a key enzyme in the cholesterol synthesis pathway. Post-stroke axonal growth was compromised in both age groups. Conclusion/Significance We suggest that a multi-stage, multimodal treatment in aged animals may be more likely to produce positive results. Such a therapeutic approach should be focused on tissue restoration but should also address other aspects of patient post-stroke therapy such as neuropathic syndrome, stress, anxiety disorders, depression, neurotransmission and blood pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana-Maria Buga
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Medicine, Rostock, Germany
- Department of Functional Sciences, University of Medicine, Craiova, Romania
| | - Claus Jürgen Scholz
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Lab for Microarray Applications, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Senthil Kumar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - James G. Herndon
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Dragos Alexandru
- Department of Functional Sciences, University of Medicine, Craiova, Romania
| | | | - Thomas Dandekar
- Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Aurel Popa-Wagner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Medicine, Rostock, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Wong AK, Park CY, Greene CS, Bongo LA, Guan Y, Troyanskaya OG. IMP: a multi-species functional genomics portal for integration, visualization and prediction of protein functions and networks. Nucleic Acids Res 2012; 40:W484-90. [PMID: 22684505 PMCID: PMC3394282 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gks458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Integrative multi-species prediction (IMP) is an interactive web server that enables molecular biologists to interpret experimental results and to generate hypotheses in the context of a large cross-organism compendium of functional predictions and networks. The system provides a framework for biologists to analyze their candidate gene sets in the context of functional networks, as they expand or focus these sets by mining functional relationships predicted from integrated high-throughput data. IMP integrates prior knowledge and data collections from multiple organisms in its analyses. Through flexible and interactive visualizations, researchers can compare functional contexts and interpret the behavior of their gene sets across organisms. Additionally, IMP identifies homologs with conserved functional roles for knowledge transfer, allowing for accurate function predictions even for biological processes that have very few experimental annotations in a given organism. IMP currently supports seven organisms (Homo sapiens, Mus musculus, Rattus novegicus, Drosophila melanogaster, Danio rerio, Caenorhabditis elegans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae), does not require any registration or installation and is freely available for use at http://imp.princeton.edu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron K Wong
- Department of Computer Science, Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
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15
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Takebayashi-Suzuki K, Kitayama A, Terasaka-Iioka C, Ueno N, Suzuki A. The forkhead transcription factor FoxB1 regulates the dorsal-ventral and anterior-posterior patterning of the ectoderm during early Xenopus embryogenesis. Dev Biol 2011; 360:11-29. [PMID: 21958745 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2010] [Revised: 08/04/2011] [Accepted: 09/05/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The formation of the dorsal-ventral (DV) and anterior-posterior (AP) axes, fundamental to the body plan of animals, is regulated by several groups of polypeptide growth factors including the TGF-β, FGF, and Wnt families. In order to ensure the establishment of the body plan, the processes of DV and AP axis formation must be linked and coordinately regulated. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for these interactions remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the forkhead box transcription factor FoxB1, which is upregulated by the neuralizing factor Oct-25, plays an important role in the formation of the DV and AP axes. Overexpression of FoxB1 promoted neural induction and inhibited BMP-dependent epidermal differentiation in ectodermal explants, thereby regulating the DV patterning of the ectoderm. In addition, FoxB1 was also found to promote the formation of posterior neural tissue in both ectodermal explants and whole embryos, suggesting its involvement in embryonic AP patterning. Using knockdown analysis, we found that FoxB1 is required for the formation of posterior neural tissues, acting in concert with the Wnt and FGF pathways. Consistent with this, FoxB1 suppressed the formation of anterior structures via a process requiring the function of XWnt-8 and eFGF. Interestingly, while downregulation of FoxB1 had little effect on neural induction, we found that it functionally interacted with its upstream factor Oct-25 and plays a supportive role in the induction and/or maintenance of neural tissue. Our results suggest that FoxB1 is part of a mechanism that fine-tunes, and leads to the coordinated formation of, the DV and AP axes during early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimiko Takebayashi-Suzuki
- Institute for Amphibian Biology, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Science, Kagamiyama 1-3-1, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan
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16
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Varga M, Maegawa S, Weinberg ES. Correct anteroposterior patterning of the zebrafish neurectoderm in the absence of the early dorsal organizer. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2011; 11:26. [PMID: 21575247 PMCID: PMC3120780 DOI: 10.1186/1471-213x-11-26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2011] [Accepted: 05/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background The embryonic organizer (i.e., Spemann organizer) has a pivotal role in the establishment of the dorsoventral (DV) axis through the coordination of BMP signaling. However, as impaired organizer function also results in anterior and posterior truncations, it is of interest to determine if proper anteroposterior (AP) pattern can be obtained even in the absence of early organizer signaling. Results Using the ventralized, maternal effect ichabod (ich) mutant, and by inhibiting BMP signaling in ich embryos, we provide conclusive evidence that AP patterning is independent of the organizer in zebrafish, and is governed by TGFβ, FGF, and Wnt signals emanating from the germ-ring. The expression patterns of neurectodermal markers in embryos with impaired BMP signaling show that the directionality of such signals is oriented along the animal-vegetal axis, which is essentially concordant with the AP axis. In addition, we find that in embryos inhibited in both Wnt and BMP signaling, the AP pattern of such markers is unchanged from that of the normal untreated embryo. These embryos develop radially organized trunk and head tissues, with an outer neurectodermal layer containing diffusely positioned neuronal precursors. Such organization is reflective of the presumed eumetazoan ancestor and might provide clues for the evolution of centralization in the nervous system. Conclusions Using a zebrafish mutant deficient in the induction of the embryonic organizer, we demonstrate that the AP patterning of the neuroectoderm during gastrulation is independent of DV patterning. Our results provide further support for Nieuwkoop's "two step model" of embryonic induction. We also show that the zebrafish embryo can form a radial diffuse neural sheath in the absence of both BMP signaling and the early organizer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máté Varga
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 19104, USA.
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17
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Seebald JL, Szeto DP. Zebrafish eve1 regulates the lateral and ventral fates of mesodermal progenitor cells at the onset of gastrulation. Dev Biol 2011; 349:78-89. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2010] [Revised: 10/01/2010] [Accepted: 10/05/2010] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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