Signalling by the FGFR-like tyrosine kinase, Kringelchen, is essential for bud detachment in Hydra vulgaris

'Three signals - three body axes' as patterning principle in bilaterians

In vertebrates, the three orthogonal body axes, anteroposterior (AP), dorsoventral (DV) and left-right (LR) are determined at gastrula and neurula stages by the Spemann-Mangold organizer and its equivalents. A common feature of AP and DV axis formation is that an evolutionary conserved interplay between growth factors (Wnt, BMP) and their extracellular antagonists (e.g. Dkk1, Chordin) creates signaling gradients for axial patterning. Recent work showed that LR patterning in Xenopus follows the same principle, with R-spondin 2 (Rspo2) as an extracellular FGF antagonist, which creates a signaling gradient that determines the LR vector. That a triad of anti-FGF, anti-BMP, and anti-Wnt governs LR, DV, and AP axis formation reveals a unifying principle in animal development. We discuss how cross-talk between these three signals confers integrated AP-DV-LR body axis patterning underlying developmental robustness, size scaling, and harmonious regulation. We propose that Urbilateria featured three orthogonal body axes that were governed by a Cartesian coordinate system of orthogonal Wnt/AP, BMP/DV, and FGF/LR signaling gradients.

Genetic interference with HvNotch provides new insights into the role of the Notch-signalling pathway for developmental pattern formation in Hydra

The Notch-signalling pathway plays an important role in pattern formation in Hydra. Using pharmacological Notch inhibitors (DAPT and SAHM1), it has been demonstrated that HvNotch is required for head regeneration and tentacle patterning in Hydra. HvNotch is also involved in establishing the parent-bud boundary and instructing buds to develop feet and detach from the parent. To further investigate the functions of HvNotch, we successfully constructed NICD (HvNotch intracellular domain)-overexpressing and HvNotch-knockdown transgenic Hydra strains. NICD-overexpressing transgenic Hydra showed a pronounced inhibition on the expression of predicted HvNotch-target genes, suggesting a dominant negative effect of ectopic NICD. This resulted in a "Y-shaped" phenotype, which arises from the parent-bud boundary defect seen in polyps treated with DAPT. Additionally, "multiple heads", "two-headed" and "ectopic tentacles" phenotypes were observed. The HvNotch-knockdown transgenic Hydra with reduced expression of HvNotch exhibited similar, but not identical phenotypes, with the addition of a "two feet" phenotype. Furthermore, we observed regeneration defects in both, overexpression and knockdown strains. We integrated these findings into a mathematical model based on long-range gradients of signalling molecules underlying sharply defined positions of HvNotch-signalling cells at the Hydra tentacle and bud boundaries.

Environmental and molecular regulation of asexual reproduction in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

Cnidarians exhibit incredible reproductive diversity, with most capable of sexual and asexual reproduction. Here, we investigate factors that influence asexual reproduction in the burrowing sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, which can propagate asexually by transverse fission of the body column. By altering culture conditions, we demonstrate that the presence of a burrowing substrate strongly promotes transverse fission. In addition, we show that animal size does not affect fission rates, and that the plane of fission is fixed along the oral-aboral axis of the polyp. Homeobox transcription factors and components of the TGFβ, Notch, and FGF signalling pathways are differentially expressed in polyps undergoing physal pinching suggesting they are important regulators of transverse fission. Gene ontology analyses further suggest that during transverse fission the cell cycle is suppressed, and that cell adhesion and patterning mechanisms are downregulated to promote separation of the body column. Finally, we demonstrate that the rate of asexual reproduction is sensitive to population density. Collectively, these experiments provide a foundation for mechanistic studies of asexual reproduction in Nematostella, with implications for understanding the reproductive and regenerative biology of other cnidarian species.

Environmental and molecular regulation of asexual reproduction in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

Cnidarians exhibit incredible reproductive diversity, with most capable of sexual and asexual reproduction. Here we investigate factors that influence asexual reproduction in the burrowing sea anemone Nematostella vectensis , which can propagate asexually by transverse fission of the body column. By altering culture conditions, we demonstrate that the presence of a burrowing substrate strongly promotes transverse fission. In addition, we show that animal size does not affect fission rates, and that the plane of fission is fixed along the oral-aboral axis of the polyp. Homeobox transcription factors and components of the TGFβ, Notch, and FGF signaling pathways are differentially expressed in polyps undergoing physal pinching suggesting they are important regulators of transverse fission. Gene ontology analyses further suggest that during transverse fission the cell cycle is suppressed and that cell adhesion and patterning mechanisms are downregulated to promote separation of the body column. Finally, we demonstrate that the rate of asexual reproduction is sensitive to population density. Collectively, these experiments provide a foundation for mechanistic studies of asexual reproduction in Nematostella , with implications for understanding the reproductive and regenerative biology of other cnidarian species.

Binding Pattern Reconstructions of FGF-FGFR Budding-Inducing Signaling in Reef-Building Corals

Reef-building corals play an important role in marine ecosystems. However, owing to climate change, ocean acidification, and predation by invasive crown-of-thorns starfish, these corals are declining. As marine animals comprise polyps, reproduction by asexual budding is pivotal in scleractinian coral growth. The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling pathway is essential in coral budding morphogenesis. Here, we sequenced the full-length transcriptomes of four common and frequently dominant reef-building corals and screened out the budding-related FGF and FGFR genes. Thereafter, three-dimensional (3D) models of FGF and FGFR proteins as well as FGF-FGFR binding models were reconstructed. Based on our findings, the FGF8-FGFR3 binding models in Pocillopora damicornis, Montipora capricornis, and Acropora muricata are typical receptor tyrosine kinase-signaling pathways that are similar to the Kringelchen (FGFR) in hydra. However, in P. verrucosa, FGF8 is not the FGFR3 ligand, which is found in other hydrozoan animals, and its FGFR3 must be activated by other tyrosine kinase-type ligands. Overall, this study provides background on the potentially budding propagation signaling pathway activated by the applications of biological agents in reef-building coral culture that could aid in the future restoration of coral reefs.

Repetitive accumulation of interstitial cells generates the branched structure of Cladonema medusa tentacles

The shaping of tissues and organs in many animals relies on interactions between the epithelial cell layer and its underlying mesoderm-derived tissues. Inductive signals, such as receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling emanating from mesoderm, act on cells of the epithelium to initiate three-dimensional changes. However, how tissues are shaped in a diploblastic animal with no mesoderm remains largely unknown. In this study, the jellyfish Cladonema pacificum was used to investigate branch formation. The tentacles on its medusa stage undergo branching, which increases the epithelial surface area available for carrying nematocytes, thereby maximizing prey capture. Pharmacological and cellular analyses of the branching process suggest a two-step model for tentacle branch formation, in which mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase signaling accumulates interstitial cells in the future branch-forming region, and fibroblast growth factor signaling regulates branch elongation. This study highlights an essential role for these pluripotent stem cells in the tissue-shaping morphogenesis of a diploblastic animal. In addition, it identifies a mechanism involving RTK signaling and cell proliferative activity at the branch tip for branching morphogenesis that is apparently conserved across the animal kingdom.

Differential gene regulation in DAPT-treated Hydra reveals candidate direct Notch signalling targets

In Hydra, Notch inhibition causes defects in head patterning and prevents differentiation of proliferating nematocyte progenitor cells into mature nematocytes. To understand the molecular mechanisms by which the Notch pathway regulates these processes, we performed RNA-seq and identified genes that are differentially regulated in response to 48 h of treating the animals with the Notch inhibitor DAPT. To identify candidate direct regulators of Notch signalling, we profiled gene expression changes that occur during subsequent restoration of Notch activity and performed promoter analyses to identify RBPJ transcription factor-binding sites in the regulatory regions of Notch-responsive genes. Interrogating the available single-cell sequencing data set revealed the gene expression patterns of Notch-regulated Hydra genes. Through these analyses, a comprehensive picture of the molecular pathways regulated by Notch signalling in head patterning and in interstitial cell differentiation in Hydra emerged. As prime candidates for direct Notch target genes, in addition to Hydra (Hy)Hes, we suggest Sp5 and HyAlx. They rapidly recovered their expression levels after DAPT removal and possess Notch-responsive RBPJ transcription factor-binding sites in their regulatory regions.

Alternative pathways control actomyosin contractility in epitheliomuscle cells during morphogenesis and body contraction

In adult Hydra, epitheliomuscle cells form the monolayered ecto- and endodermal epithelia. Their basal myonemes function as a longitudinal and circular muscle, respectively. Based on the observation that a Rho/Rock pathway, controlling the cell shape changes during detachment of Hydra buds, is not involved in body movement, at least two actomyosin compartments must exist in these cells: a basal one for body movement and a cortical one for cell shape changes. We therefore analyzed the regional and subcellular localization of the Ser19-phosphorylated myosin regulatory light chain (pMLC20). Along the body column, pMLC20 was detected strongly in the basal myonemes and weakly in the apical cell compartments of ectodermal epitheliomuscle cells. In cells of the bud base undergoing morphogenesis, pMLC20 was localized to intracellular stress fibers as well as to the apical and additionally to the lateral cortical compartment. Pharmacological inhibition revealed that pMLC20 is induced in these compartments by at least two independent pathways. In myonemes, MLC is phosphorylated mainly by myosin light chain kinase (MLCK). In contrast, the cortical apical and lateral MLC phosphorylation in constricting ectodermal cells of the bud base is stimulated via the Rho/ROCK pathway.

What lies beneath: Hydra provides cnidarian perspectives into the evolution of FGFR docking proteins

Across the Bilateria, FGF/FGFR signaling is critical for normal development, and in both Drosophila and vertebrates, docking proteins are required to connect activated FGFRs with downstream pathways. While vertebrates use Frs2 to dock FGFR to the RAS/MAPK or PI3K pathways, the unrelated protein, downstream of FGFR (Dof/stumps/heartbroken), fulfills the corresponding function in Drosophila. To better understand the evolution of the signaling pathway downstream of FGFR, the available sequence databases were screened to identify Frs2, Dof, and other key pathway components in phyla that diverged early in animal evolution. While Frs2 homologues were detected only in members of the Bilateria, canonical Dof sequences (containing Dof, ankyrin, and SH2/SH3 domains) were present in cnidarians as well as bilaterians (but not in other animals or holozoans), correlating with the appearance of FGFR. Although these data suggested that Dof coupling might be ancestral, gene expression analysis in the cnidarian Hydra revealed that Dof is not upregulated in the zone of strong FGFRa and FGFRb expression at the bud base, where FGFR signaling controls detachment. In contrast, transcripts encoding other, known elements of FGFR signaling in Bilateria, namely the FGFR adaptors Grb2 and Crkl, which are acting downstream of Dof (and Frs2), as well as the guanyl nucleotide exchange factor Sos, and the tyrosine phosphatase Csw/Shp2, were strongly upregulated at the bud base. Our expression analysis, thus, identified transcriptional upregulation of known elements of FGFR signaling at the Hydra bud base indicating a highly conserved toolkit. Lack of transcriptional Dof upregulation raises the interesting question, whether Hydra FGFR signaling requires either of the docking proteins known from Bilateria.

Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Hydra Regeneration

Regeneration of lost body parts is essential to regain the fitness of the organism for successful living. In the animal kingdom, organisms from different clades exhibit varied regeneration abilities. Hydra is one of the few organisms that possess tremendous regeneration potential, capable of regenerating complete organism from small tissue fragments or even from dissociated cells. This peculiar property has made this genus one of the most invaluable model organisms for understanding the process of regeneration. Multiple studies in Hydra led to the current understanding of gross morphological changes, basic cellular dynamics, and the role of molecular signalling such as the Wnt signalling pathway. However, cell-to-cell communication by cell adhesion, role of extracellular components such as extracellular matrix (ECM), and nature of cell types that contribute to the regeneration process need to be explored in depth. Additionally, roles of developmental signalling pathways need to be elucidated to enable more comprehensive understanding of regeneration in Hydra. Further research on cross communication among extracellular, cellular, and molecular signalling in Hydra will advance the field of regeneration biology. Here, we present a review of the existing literature on Hydra regeneration biology and outline the future perspectives.

Bud detachment in hydra requires activation of fibroblast growth factor receptor and a Rho-ROCK-myosin II signaling pathway to ensure formation of a basal constriction

Background:Hydra propagates asexually by exporting tissue into a bud, which detaches 4 days later as a fully differentiated young polyp. Prerequisite for detachment is activation of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signaling. The mechanism which enables constriction and tissue separation within the monolayered ecto‐ and endodermal epithelia is unknown. Results: Histological sections and staining of F‐actin by phalloidin revealed conspicuous cell shape changes at the bud detachment site indicating a localized generation of mechanical forces and the potential enhancement of secretory functions in ectodermal cells. By gene expression analysis and pharmacological inhibition, we identified a candidate signaling pathway through Rho, ROCK, and myosin II, which controls bud base constriction and rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton. Specific regional myosin phosphorylation suggests a crucial role of ectodermal cells at the detachment site. Inhibition of FGFR, Rho, ROCK, or myosin II kinase activity is permissive for budding, but represses myosin phosphorylation, rearrangement of F‐actin and constriction. The young polyp remains permanently connected to the parent by a broad tissue bridge. Conclusions: Our data suggest an essential role of FGFR and a Rho‐ROCK‐myosin II pathway in the control of cell shape changes required for bud detachment. Developmental Dynamics 246:502–516, 2017. © 2017 The Authors Developmental Dynamics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Anatomists

Hydra bud detachment involves the separation of two intact epithelia without cell death.

Remarkable cell shape changes and multicellular rosettes at the bud base indicate functional specification and strong mechanical forces.

mRNA colocalization, phospho‐myosin analysis and similar phenotypes obtained by pharmacological inhibition suggest a tight correlation between FGFR and a Rho‐ROCK‐Myosin II candidate signaling pathway.

Dynamic expression of a Hydra FGF at boundaries and termini

Guidance of cells and tissue sheets is an essential function in developing and differentiating animal tissues. In Hydra, where cells and tissue move dynamically due to constant cell proliferation towards the termini or into lateral, vegetative buds, factors essential for guidance are still unknown. Good candidates to take over this function are fibroblast growth factors (FGFs). We present the phylogeny of several Hydra FGFs and analysis of their expression patterns. One of the FGFs is expressed in all terminal regions targeted by tissue movement and at boundaries crossed by moving tissue and cells with an expression pattern slightly differing in two Hydra strains. A model addressing an involvement of this FGF in cell movement and morphogenesis is proposed: Hydra FGFf-expressing cells might serve as sources to attract tissue and cells towards the termini of the body column and across morphological boundaries. Moreover, a function in morphogenesis and/or differentiation of cells and tissue is suggested.

FGFR-ERK signaling is an essential component of tissue separation

Formation of a constriction and tissue separation between parent and young polyp is a hallmark of the Hydra budding process and controlled by fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signaling. Appearance of a cluster of cells positive for double phosphorylated ERK (dpERK) at the late separation site indicated that the RAS/MEK/ERK pathway might be a downstream target of the Hydra Kringelchen FGFR. In fact, inhibition of ERK phosphorylation by the MEK inhibitor U0126 reversibly delayed bud detachment and prevented formation of the dpERK-positive cell cluster indicating de novo-phosphorylation of ERK at the late bud base. In functional studies, a dominant-negative Kringelchen FGFR prevented bud detachment as well as appearance of the dpERK-positive cell cluster. Ectopic expression of full length Kringelchen, on the other hand, induced a localized rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton at sites of constriction, localized ERK-phosphorylation and autotomy of the body column. Our data suggest a model in which (i) the Hydra FGFR targets, via an unknown pathway, the actin cytoskeleton to induce a constriction and (ii) FGFR activates MEK/ERK signaling at the late separation site to allow tissue separation.

Notch-signalling is required for head regeneration and tentacle patterning in Hydra

Local self-activation and long ranging inhibition provide a mechanism for setting up organising regions as signalling centres for the development of structures in the surrounding tissue. The adult hydra hypostome functions as head organiser. After hydra head removal it is newly formed and complete heads can be regenerated. The molecular components of this organising region involve Wnt-signalling and β-catenin. However, it is not known how correct patterning of hypostome and tentacles are achieved in the hydra head and whether other signals in addition to HyWnt3 are needed for re-establishing the new organiser after head removal. Here we show that Notch-signalling is required for re-establishing the organiser during regeneration and that this is due to its role in restricting tentacle activation. Blocking Notch-signalling leads to the formation of irregular head structures characterised by excess tentacle tissue and aberrant expression of genes that mark the tentacle boundaries. This indicates a role for Notch-signalling in defining the tentacle pattern in the hydra head. Moreover, lateral inhibition by HvNotch and its target HyHes are required for head regeneration and without this the formation of the β-catenin/Wnt dependent head organiser is impaired. Work on prebilaterian model organisms has shown that the Wnt-pathway is important for setting up signalling centres for axial patterning in early multicellular animals. Our data suggest that the integration of Wnt-signalling with Notch-Delta activity was also involved in the evolution of defined body plans in animals.

In vivo imaging of basement membrane movement: ECM patterning shapes Hydra polyps

Growth and morphogenesis during embryonic development, asexual reproduction and regeneration require extensive remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM). We used the simple metazoan Hydra to examine the fate of ECM during tissue morphogenesis and asexual budding. In growing Hydra, epithelial cells constantly move towards the extremities of the animal and into outgrowing buds. It is not known, whether these tissue movements involve epithelial migration relative to the underlying matrix or whether cells and ECM are displaced as a composite structure. Furthermore, it is unclear, how the ECM is remodeled to adapt to the shape of developing buds and tentacles. To address these questions, we used a new in vivo labeling technique for Hydra collagen-1 and laminin, and tracked the fate of ECM in all body regions of the animal. Our results reveal that Hydra 'tissue movements' are largely displacements of epithelial cells together with associated ECM. By contrast, during the evagination of buds and tentacles, extensive movement of epithelial cells relative to the matrix is observed, together with local ECM remodeling. These findings provide new insights into the nature of growth and morphogenesis in epithelial tissues.

Genome-wide screening reveals the emergence and divergence of RTK homologues in basal Metazoan Hydra magnipapillata

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are key components of cell-cell signalling required for growth and development of multicellular organisms. It is therefore likely that the divergence of RTKs and associated components played a significant role in the evolution of multicellular organisms. We have carried out the present study in hydra, a diploblast, to investigate the divergence of RTKs after parazoa and before emergence of triploblast phyla. The domain-based screening using Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) for RTKs in Genomescan predicted gene models of the Hydra magnipapillata genome resulted in identification of 15 RTKs. These RTKs have been classified into eight families based on domain architecture and homology. Only 5 of these RTKs have been previously reported and a few of these have been partially characterized. A phylogeny-based analysis of these predicted RTKs revealed that seven subtype duplications occurred between 'parazoan-eumetazoan split' and 'diploblast-triploblast split' in animal phyla. These results suggest that most of the RTKs evolved before the radiata-bilateria divergence during animal evolution.

The putative Notch ligand HyJagged is a transmembrane protein present in all cell types of adult Hydra and upregulated at the boundary between bud and parent

Background

The Notch signalling pathway is conserved in pre-bilaterian animals. In the Cnidarian Hydra it is involved in interstitial stem cell differentiation and in boundary formation during budding. Experimental evidence suggests that in Hydra Notch is activated by presenilin through proteolytic cleavage at the S3 site as in all animals. However, the endogenous ligand for HvNotch has not been described yet.

Results

We have cloned a cDNA from Hydra, which encodes a bona-fide Notch ligand with a conserved domain structure similar to that of Jagged-like Notch ligands from other animals. Hyjagged mRNA is undetectable in adult Hydra by in situ hybridisation but is strongly upregulated and easily visible at the border between bud and parent shortly before bud detachment. In contrast, HyJagged protein is found in all cell types of an adult hydra, where it localises to membranes and endosomes. Co-localisation experiments showed that it is present in the same cells as HvNotch, however not always in the same membrane structures.

Conclusions

The putative Notch ligand HyJagged is conserved in Cnidarians. Together with HvNotch it may be involved in the formation of the parent-bud boundary in Hydra. Moreover, protein distribution of both, HvNotch receptor and HyJagged indicate a more widespread function for these two transmembrane proteins in the adult hydra, which may be regulated by additional factors, possibly involving endocytic pathways.

Extending the family table: Insights from beyond vertebrates into the regulation of embryonic development by FGFs

Since the discovery of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) much focus has been placed on elucidating the roles for each vertebrate FGF ligand, receptor, and regulating molecules in the context of vertebrate development, human disorders and cancer. Studies in human, mouse, frog, chick, and zebrafish have made great contributions to our understanding of the role of FGFs in specific processes. However, in recent years, as more genomes are sequenced, information is becoming available from many non-vertebrate models and a more complete picture of the FGF superfamily as a whole is emerging. In some cases, less redundancy in these FGF signaling systems may allow for more mechanistic insights. Studies in sea anemones have highlighted how ancient FGF signaling is and helped provide insight into the evolution of the FGF gene family. Work in nematodes has shown that different splice forms can be used for functional specificity in invertebrate FGF signaling. Comparing FGFs between urochordates and vertebrates as well as between different insect species reveals important clues into the process of gene loss, duplication and subfunctionalization of FGFs throughout evolution. Finally, comparing all members of the FGF ligand superfamily reveals variability in many properties, which may point to a feature of FGFs as being highly adaptable with regards to protein structure and signaling mechanism. Further studies on FGF signaling outside of vertebrates is likely to continue to complement work in vertebrates by contributing additional insights to the FGF field and providing unexpected information that could be used for medical applications.

The Hydra model: disclosing an apoptosis-driven generator of Wnt-based regeneration

The Hydra model system is well suited for the eludication of the mechanisms underlying regeneration in the adult, and an understanding of the core mechanisms is likely to cast light on pathways conserved in other species. Recent detailed analyses of the activation of the Wnt-beta-catenin pathway in bisected Hydra shows that the route taken to regenerate a structure as complex as the head varies dramatically according to the level of the amputation. When decapitation induces direct re-development due to Wnt3 signaling from epithelial cells, head regeneration after mid-gastric section relies first on Wnt3 signaling from interstitial cells, that undergo apoptosis-induced compensatory proliferation, and subsequently on activation of Wnt3 signaling in the epithelial cells. The relative distribution between stem cells and head progenitor cells is strikingly different in these two contexts, indicating that the pre-amputation homeostatic conditions define and constrain the route that bridges wound-healing to the re-development program of the missing structure.

Total nucleotide analysis of Hydra DNA and RNA by MEKC with LIF detection and 32P-postlabeling

The model organism Hydra has been used for molecular studies for more than 20 years, however, its DNA base composition has not been determined yet. We have analyzed DNA and total RNA of the freshwater polyp Hydra magnipapillata with two independent procedures of high accuracy and sensitivity - fluorescence labeling of nucleotides followed by CE-LIF detection and (32)P-postlabeling. DNA of Hydra was digested either to deoxyribonucleoside-5'-monophosphates or deoxyribonucleoside-3'-monophosphates selectively conjugated with the fluorescent dye 4,4-difluoro-5,7-dimethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene-3-propionyl ethylene diamine hydrochloride (BODIPY FL EDA) separated and detected using CE-LIF. Both versions of the assay revealed a high A+T composition of 78 and 71%, whereas total DNA methylation (5-methyldeoxycytidine) was 2.6 and 3.1%. Total Hydra RNA showed highest base levels for guanine (33%) and a level of 1.4% for pseudouracil. All values were in good agreement with those determined by the (32)P-postlabeling method.

Conserved intron positions in FGFR genes reflect the modular structure of FGFR and reveal stepwise addition of domains to an already complex ancestral FGFR

We have analyzed the evolution of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) tyrosine kinase genes throughout a wide range of animal phyla. No evidence for an FGFR gene was found in Porifera, but we tentatively identified an FGFR gene in the placozoan Trichoplax adhaerens. The gene encodes a protein with three immunoglobulin-like domains, a single-pass transmembrane, and a split tyrosine kinase domain. By superimposing intron positions of 20 FGFR genes from Placozoa, Cnidaria, Protostomia, and Deuterostomia over the respective protein domain structure, we identified ten ancestral introns and three conserved intron groups. Our analysis shows (1) that the position of ancestral introns correlates to the modular structure of FGFRs, (2) that the acidic domain very likely evolved in the last common ancestor of triploblasts, (3) that splicing of IgIII was enabled by a triploblast-specific insertion, and (4) that IgI is subject to substantial loss or duplication particularly in quickly evolving genomes. Moreover, intron positions in the catalytic domain of FGFRs map to the borders of protein subdomains highly conserved in other serine/threonine kinases. Nevertheless, these introns were introduced in metazoan receptor tyrosine kinases exclusively. Our data support the view that protein evolution dating back to the Cambrian explosion took place in such a short time window that only subtle changes in the domain structure are detectable in extant representatives of animal phyla. We propose that the first multidomain FGFR originated in the last common ancestor of Placozoa, Cnidaria, and Bilateria. Additional domains were introduced mainly in the ancestor of triploblasts and in the Ecdysozoa.

Cnidarians and the evolutionary origin of the nervous system

Cnidarians are widely regarded as one of the first organisms in animal evolution possessing a nervous system. Conventional histological and electrophysiological studies have revealed a considerable degree of complexity of the cnidarian nervous system. Thanks to expressed sequence tags and genome projects and the availability of functional assay systems in cnidarians, this simple nervous system is now genetically accessible and becomes particularly valuable for understanding the origin and evolution of the genetic control mechanisms underlying its development. In the present review, the anatomical and physiological features of the cnidarian nervous system and the interesting parallels in neurodevelopmental mechanisms between Cnidaria and Bilateria are discussed.

Origins of neurogenesis, a cnidarian view

New perspectives on the origin of neurogenesis emerged with the identification of genes encoding post-synaptic proteins as well as many "neurogenic" regulators as the NK, Six, Pax, bHLH proteins in the Demosponge genome, a species that might differentiate sensory cells but no neurons. However, poriferans seem to miss some key regulators of the neurogenic circuitry as the Hox/paraHox and Otx-like gene families. Moreover as a general feature, many gene families encoding evolutionarily-conserved signaling proteins and transcription factors were submitted to a wave of gene duplication in the last common eumetazoan ancestor, after Porifera divergence. In contrast gene duplications in the last common bilaterian ancestor, Urbilateria, are limited, except for the bHLH Atonal-class. Hence Cnidaria share with Bilateria a large number of genetic tools. The expression and functional analyses currently available suggest a neurogenic function for numerous orthologs in developing or adult cnidarians where neurogenesis takes place continuously. As an example, in the Hydra polyp, the Clytia medusa and the Acropora coral, the Gsx/cnox2/Anthox-2 ParaHox gene likely supports neurogenesis. Also neurons and nematocytes (mechanosensory cells) share in hydrozoans a common stem cell and several regulatory genes indicating that they can be considered as sister cells. Performed in anthozoan and medusozoan species, these studies should tell us more about the way(s) evolution hazards achieved the transition from epithelial to neuronal cell fate, and about the robustness of the genetic circuitry that allowed neuromuscular transmission to arise and be maintained across evolution.

FGF signalling controls formation of the apical sensory organ in the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling regulates essential developmental processes in vertebrates and invertebrates, but its role during early metazoan evolution remains obscure. Here, we analyse the function of FGF signalling in a non-bilaterian animal, the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis. We identified the complete set of FGF ligands and FGF receptors, of which two paralogous FGFs (NvFGFa1 and NvFGFa2) and one FGF receptor (NvFGFRa) are specifically coexpressed in the developing apical organ, a sensory structure located at the aboral pole of ciliated larvae from various phyla. Morpholino-mediated knockdown experiments reveal that NvFGFa1 and NvFGFRa are required for the formation of the apical organ, whereas NvFGFa2 counteracts NvFGFRa signalling to prevent precocious and ectopic apical organ development. Marker gene expression analysis shows that FGF signalling regulates local patterning in the aboral region. Furthermore, NvFGFa1 activates its own expression and that of the antagonistic NvFGFa2, thereby establishing positive- and negative-feedback loops. Finally, we show that loss of the apical organ upon NvFGFa1 knockdown blocks metamorphosis into polyps. We propose that the control of the development of sensory structures at the apical pole of ciliated larvae is an ancestral function of FGF signalling.

Dynamical patterning modules: physico-genetic determinants of morphological development and evolution

The shapes and forms of multicellular organisms arise by the generation of new cell states and types and changes in the numbers and rearrangements of the various kinds of cells. While morphogenesis and pattern formation in all animal species are widely recognized to be mediated by the gene products of an evolutionarily conserved 'developmental-genetic toolkit', the link between these molecular players and the physics underlying these processes has been generally ignored. This paper introduces the concept of 'dynamical patterning modules' (DPMs), units consisting of one or more products of the 'toolkit' genes that mobilize physical processes characteristic of chemically and mechanically excitable meso- to macroscopic systems such as cell aggregates: cohesion, viscoelasticity, diffusion, spatiotemporal heterogeneity based on lateral inhibition and multistable and oscillatory dynamics. We suggest that ancient toolkit gene products, most predating the emergence of multicellularity, assumed novel morphogenetic functions due to change in the scale and context inherent to multicellularity. We show that DPMs, acting individually and in concert with each other, constitute a 'pattern language' capable of generating all metazoan body plans and organ forms. The physical dimension of developmental causation implies that multicellular forms during the explosive radiation of animal body plans in the middle Cambrian, approximately 530 million years ago, could have explored an extensive morphospace without concomitant genotypic change or selection for adaptation. The morphologically plastic body plans and organ forms generated by DPMs, and their ontogenetic trajectories, would subsequently have been stabilized and consolidated by natural selection and genetic drift. This perspective also solves the apparent 'molecular homology-analogy paradox', whereby widely divergent modern animal types utilize the same molecular toolkit during development by proposing, in contrast to the Neo-Darwinian principle, that phenotypic disparity early in evolution occurred in advance of, rather than closely tracked, genotypic change.

Tyrosine kinase and cooperative TGFβ signaling in the reproductive organs of Schistosoma mansoni

Drug-induced suppression of female schistosome sexual maturation is an auspicious strategy to combat schistosomiasis since the eggs are the causative agent. The establishment of drug targets requires knowledge about the molecular mechanisms that regulate the development of the female reproductive organs, which include vitellarium and ovary. This review summarizes recent studies suggesting tyrosine kinases as important factors for the regulation of female gonad development. In this context, especially cytoplasmatic tyrosine kinases of the Src class seem to play dominant roles. Moreover, experimental data and theoretical concepts are provided supporting a crosstalk between tyrosine kinase and TGFbeta signaling in the production of vitellocytes. Finally, we take advantage from the schistosome genome project to propose a model for the regulation of vitelline-cell production and differentiation.

Suppression subtractive hybridization identifies novel transcripts in regenerating Hydra littoralis

Despite considerable interest in the biologic processes of regeneration and stem cell activation, little is known about the genes involved in these transformative events. In a Hydra littoralis model of regeneration, we employed a rapid shotgun suppression subtractive hybridization strategy to identify genes that are uniquely expressed in regenerating tissue. With an adaptor-PCR based technique, 16 candidate transcripts were identified, 15 were confirmed unique to mRNA isolated from hydra undergoing regeneration. Of these, 6 were undescribed in GenBank and allied expressed sequence tag (EST) databases (GenBank + EMBL + DDBJ + PDB and the Hydra EST database). BLAST analysis of these sequences identified remarkably similar sequences in anonymous ESTs found in a wide variety of animal species.

FGF signaling in gastrulation and neural development in Nematostella vectensis, an anthozoan cnidarian

The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signal transduction pathway serves as one of the key regulators of early metazoan development, displaying conserved roles in the specification of endodermal, mesodermal, and neural fates during vertebrate development. FGF signals also regulate gastrulation, in part, by triggering epithelial to mesenchymal transitions in embryos of both vertebrates and invertebrates. Thus, FGF signals coordinate gastrulation movements across many different phyla. To help understand the breadth of FGF signaling deployment across the animal kingdom, we have examined the presence and expression of genes encoding FGF pathway components in the anthozoan cnidarian Nematostella vectensis. We isolated three FGF ligands (NvFGF8A, NvFGF8B, and NvFGF1A), two FGF receptors (NvFGFRa and NvFGFRb), and two orthologs of vertebrate FGF responsive genes, Sprouty (NvSprouty), an inhibitor of FGF signaling, and Churchill (NvChurchill), a Zn finger transcription factor. We found these FGF ligands, receptors, and response gene expressed asymmetrically along the oral/aboral axis during gastrulation and in a developing chemosensory structure of planula stages known as the apical tuft. These results suggest a conserved role for FGF signaling molecules in coordinating both gastrulation and neural induction that predates the Cambrian explosion and the origins of the Bilateria.

Why polyps regenerate and we don't: towards a cellular and molecular framework for Hydra regeneration

The basis for Hydra's enormous regeneration capacity is the "stem cellness" of its epithelium which continuously undergoes self-renewing mitotic divisions and also has the option to follow differentiation pathways. Now, emerging molecular tools have shed light on the molecular processes controlling these pathways. In this review I discuss how the modular tissue architecture may allow continuous replacement of cells in Hydra. I also describe the discovery and regulation of factors controlling the transition from self-renewing epithelial stem cells to differentiated cells.

Bridging the regeneration gap: genetic insights from diverse animal models

Significant progress has recently been made in our understanding of animal regenerative biology, spurred on by the use of a wider range of model organisms and an increasing ability to use genetic tools in traditional models of regeneration. This progress has begun to delineate differences and similarities in the regenerative capabilities and mechanisms among diverse animal species, and to address some of the key questions about the molecular and cell biology of regeneration. Our expanding knowledge in these areas not only provides insights into animal biology in general, but also has important implications for regenerative medicine and stem-cell biology.

Hydra, a niche for cell and developmental plasticity

The silencing of genes whose expression is restricted to specific cell types and/or specific regeneration stages opens avenues to decipher the molecular control of the cellular plasticity underlying head regeneration in hydra. In this review, we highlight recent studies that identified genes involved in the immediate cytoprotective function played by gland cells after amputation; the early dedifferentiation of digestive cells into blastema-like cells during head regeneration, and the early late proliferation of neuronal progenitors required for head patterning. Hence, developmental plasticity in hydra relies on spatially restricted and timely orchestrated cellular modifications, where the functions played by stem cells remain to be characterized.

An evolutionary history of the FGF superfamily

Fibroblast growth factors (FGF) are associated with multiple developmental and metabolic processes in triploblasts, and perhaps also in diploblasts. The evolution of the FGF superfamily has accompanied the major morphological and functional innovations of metazoan species. The study of FGFs throughout species shows that the FGF superfamily can be subdivided in eight families in present-day organisms and has evolved through phases of gene duplications and gene losses. At least two major expansions of the superfamily can be recognized: a first expansion increased the number of FGFs from one or few archeo-FGFs to eight proto-FGFs, prototypic of the eight families. A second expansion, which took place during euchordate evolution, is associated with genome duplications. It increased the number of members in the families. Subsequent losses reduced that number to the present-day figures.

FGF signaling in flies and worms: more and more relevant to vertebrate biology

FGF signaling in the invertebrate model systems Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans was initially most obviously involved in cell motility events. More recently, however, FGFs and FGF signaling in these systems have been shown to affect many additional cellular processes. This recent work has shown that the pleiotropies of these FGF receptors resemble those of their vertebrate counterparts, and, in many cases, serve as excellent models for understanding the fundamental molecular mechanisms controlling these events.