1
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Shylo NA, Trainor PA. Decrypting the phylogenetics history of EGF-CFC proteins Cripto and Cryptic. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.30.610562. [PMID: 39257814 PMCID: PMC11383694 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.30.610562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
EGF-CFC proteins are obligate coreceptors for Nodal signaling and are thus required for gastrulation and left-right patterning. Species with multiple family members show evidence of specialization. For example, mouse Cripto is required for gastrulation, whereas Cryptic is involved in left-right patterning. However, the members of the family across model organisms have little sequence conservation beyond the EGF-CFC domain, posing challenges for determining their evolutionary history and functional conservation. In this study we outline the evolutionary history of the EGF-CFC family of proteins. We traced the EGF-CFC gene family from a single gene in the deuterostome ancestor through its expansion and functional specialization in tetrapods, and subsequent gene loss and translocation in eutherian mammals. Mouse Cripto and Cryptic, zebrafish Tdgf1, and all three Xenopus EGF-CFC genes (Tdgf1, Tdgf1.2 and Cripto.3) and are all descendants of the ancestral Tdgf1 gene. We propose that subsequent to the family expansion in tetrapods, Tdgf1B (Xenopus Tdgf1.2) acquired specialization in the left-right patterning cascade, and after its translocation in eutherians to a different chromosomal location, Cfc1/Cryptic has maintained that specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia A Shylo
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Paul A Trainor
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
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2
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McNamara HM, Jia BZ, Guyer A, Parot VJ, Dobbs C, Schier AF, Cohen AE, Lord ND. Optogenetic control of Nodal signaling patterns. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.11.588875. [PMID: 38645239 PMCID: PMC11030342 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.11.588875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
A crucial step in early embryogenesis is the establishment of spatial patterns of signaling activity. Tools to perturb morphogen signals with high resolution in space and time can help reveal how embryonic cells decode these signals to make appropriate fate decisions. Here, we present new optogenetic reagents and an experimental pipeline for creaHng designer Nodal signaling patterns in live zebrafish embryos. Nodal receptors were fused to the light-sensitive heterodimerizing pair Cry2/CIB1N, and the Type II receptor was sequestered to the cytosol. The improved optoNodal2 reagents eliminate dark activity and improve response kinetics, without sacrificing dynamic range. We adapted an ultra-widefield microscopy platform for parallel light patterning in up to 36 embryos and demonstrated precise spatial control over Nodal signaling activity and downstream gene expression. Patterned Nodal activation drove precisely controlled internalization of endodermal precursors. Further, we used patterned illumination to generate synthetic signaling patterns in Nodal signaling mutants, rescuing several characteristic developmental defects. This study establishes an experimental toolkit for systematic exploration of Nodal signaling patterns in live embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bill Z. Jia
- Department of Systems Biology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alison Guyer
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Vicente J. Parot
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Caleb Dobbs
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Adam E. Cohen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nathan D. Lord
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
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3
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Iglesias Gonzalez AB, Koning HK, Tuz-Sasik MU, van Osselen I, Manuel R, Boije H. Perturbed development of calb2b expressing dI6 interneurons and motor neurons underlies locomotor defects observed in calretinin knock-down zebrafish larvae. Dev Biol 2024; 508:77-87. [PMID: 38278086 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Calcium binding proteins are essential for neural development and cellular activity. Calretinin, encoded by calb2a and calb2b, plays a role during early zebrafish development and has been proposed as a marker for distinct neuronal populations within the locomotor network. We generated a calb2b:hs:eGFP transgenic reporter line to characterize calretinin expressing cells in the developing spinal cord and describe morphological and behavioral defects in calretinin knock-down larvae. eGFP was detected in primary and secondary motor neurons, as well as in dI6 and V0v interneurons. Knock-down of calretinin lead to disturbed development of motor neurons and dI6 interneurons, revealing a crucial role during early development of the locomotor network. Primary motor neurons showed delayed axon outgrowth and the distinct inhibitory CoLo neurons, originating from the dI6 lineage, were absent. These observations explain the locomotor defects we observed in calretinin knock-down animals where the velocity, acceleration and coordination were affected during escapes. Altogether, our analysis suggests an essential role for calretinin during the development of the circuits regulating escape responses and fast movements within the locomotor network.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Harmen Kornelis Koning
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, S-75108, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Melek Umay Tuz-Sasik
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, S-75108, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ilse van Osselen
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, S-75108, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Remy Manuel
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, S-75108, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Henrik Boije
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, S-75108, Uppsala, Sweden.
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4
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Manning E, Placzek M. Organizing activities of axial mesoderm. Curr Top Dev Biol 2024; 157:83-123. [PMID: 38556460 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2024.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
For almost a century, developmental biologists have appreciated that the ability of the embryonic organizer to induce and pattern the body plan is intertwined with its differentiation into axial mesoderm. Despite this, we still have a relatively poor understanding of the contribution of axial mesoderm to induction and patterning of different body regions, and the manner in which axial mesoderm-derived information is interpreted in tissues of changing competence. Here, with a particular focus on the nervous system, we review the evidence that axial mesoderm notochord and prechordal mesoderm/mesendoderm act as organizers, discuss how their influence extends through the different axes of the developing organism, and describe how the ability of axial mesoderm to direct morphogenesis impacts on its role as a local organizer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Manning
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom; Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Marysia Placzek
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom; Bateson Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom; Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
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5
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Alves-Pimenta S, Colaço B, Oliveira PA, Venâncio C. Development Features on the Selection of Animal Models for Teratogenic Testing. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2753:67-104. [PMID: 38285334 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3625-1_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Today, the use of animal models from different species continues to represent a fundamental step in teratogenic testing, despite the increase in alternative solutions that provide an important screening to the enormous quantity of new substances that aim to enter the market every year. The maintenance of these models is due to the sharing of similar development processes with humans, and in this way they represent an important contribution to the safety in the use of the compounds tested. Furthermore, the application of advances in embryology to teratology, although hampered by the complexity of reproductive processes, continues to prove the importance of sensitivity during embryonic and fetal development to detect potential toxicity, inducing mortality/abortion and malformations.In this chapter, essential periods of development in different models are outlined, highlighting the similarities and differences between species, the advantages and disadvantages of each group, and specific sensitivities for teratogenic testing. Models can be divided into invertebrate species such as earthworms of the species Eisenia fetida/Eisenia andrei, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Drosophila melanogaster, allowing for rapid results and minor ethical concerns. Vertebrate nonmammalian species Xenopus laevis and Danio rerio are important models to assess teratogenic potential later in development with fewer ethical requirements. Finally, the mammalian species Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, and Oryctolagus cuniculus, phylogenetically closer to humans, are essential for the assessment of complex specialized processes, occurring later in development.Regulations for the development of toxicology tests require the use of mammalian species. Although ethical concerns and costs limit their use in large-scale screening. On the other hand, invertebrate and vertebrate nonmammalian species are increasing as alternative animal models, as these organisms combine low cost, less ethical requirements, and culture conditions compatible with large-scale screening. Their main advantage is to allow high-throughput screening in a whole-animal context, in contrast to the in vitro techniques, not dependent on the prior identification of a target. Better knowledge of the development pathways of animal models will allow to maximize human translation and reduce the number of animals used, leading to a selection of compounds with an improved safety profile and reduced time to market for new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Alves-Pimenta
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Bruno Colaço
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Paula A Oliveira
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-food Production (Inov4Agro), University of Trás-os Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Carlos Venâncio
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
- Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
- Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-food Production (Inov4Agro), University of Trás-os Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.
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6
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Truchado-García M, Perry KJ, Cavodeassi F, Kenny NJ, Henry JQ, Grande C. A Small Change With a Twist Ending: A Single Residue in EGF-CFC Drives Bilaterian Asymmetry. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 40:6947033. [PMID: 36537201 PMCID: PMC9907556 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Asymmetries are essential for proper organization and function of organ systems. Genetic studies in bilaterians have shown signaling through the Nodal/Smad2 pathway plays a key, conserved role in the establishment of body asymmetries. Although the main molecular players in the network for the establishment of left-right asymmetry (LRA) have been deeply described in deuterostomes, little is known about the regulation of Nodal signaling in spiralians. Here, we identified orthologs of the egf-cfc gene, a master regulator of the Nodal pathway in vertebrates, in several invertebrate species, which includes the first evidence of its presence in non-deuterostomes. Our functional experiments indicate that despite being present, egf-cfc does not play a role in the establishment of LRA in gastropods. However, experiments in zebrafish suggest that a single amino acid mutation in the egf-cfc gene in at least the common ancestor of chordates was the necessary step to induce a gain of function in LRA regulation. This study shows that the egf-cfc gene likely appeared in the ancestors of deuterostomes and "protostomes", before being adopted as a mechanism to regulate the Nodal pathway and the establishment of LRA in some lineages of deuterostomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kimberly J Perry
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Florencia Cavodeassi
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain,Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education, St George's University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, United Kingdom
| | - Nathan J Kenny
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, United Kingdom,Department of Biochemistry (Te Tari Matū Koiora), University of Otago, Dunedin, (Aotearoa) New Zealand
| | - Jonathan Q Henry
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801,The Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543
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7
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Stock J, Kazmar T, Schlumm F, Hannezo E, Pauli A. A self-generated Toddler gradient guides mesodermal cell migration. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadd2488. [PMID: 36103529 PMCID: PMC9473572 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add2488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The sculpting of germ layers during gastrulation relies on the coordinated migration of progenitor cells, yet the cues controlling these long-range directed movements remain largely unknown. While directional migration often relies on a chemokine gradient generated from a localized source, we find that zebrafish ventrolateral mesoderm is guided by a self-generated gradient of the initially uniformly expressed and secreted protein Toddler/ELABELA/Apela. We show that the Apelin receptor, which is specifically expressed in mesodermal cells, has a dual role during gastrulation, acting as a scavenger receptor to generate a Toddler gradient, and as a chemokine receptor to sense this guidance cue. Thus, we uncover a single receptor-based self-generated gradient as the enigmatic guidance cue that can robustly steer the directional migration of mesoderm through the complex and continuously changing environment of the gastrulating embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Stock
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tomas Kazmar
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Friederike Schlumm
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Edouard Hannezo
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Andrea Pauli
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
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8
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Ferran JL, Irimia M, Puelles L. Is There a Prechordal Region and an Acroterminal Domain in Amphioxus? BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2022; 96:334-352. [PMID: 35034027 DOI: 10.1159/000521966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
This essay re-examines the singular case of the supposedly unique rostrally elongated notochord described classically in amphioxus. We start from our previous observations in hpf 21 larvae [Albuixech-Crespo et al.: PLoS Biol. 2017;15(4):e2001573] indicating that the brain vesicle has rostrally a rather standard hypothalamic molecular configuration. This correlates with the notochord across a possible rostromedian acroterminal hypothalamic domain. The notochord shows some molecular differences that specifically characterize its pre-acroterminal extension beyond its normal rostral end under the mamillary region. We explored an alternative interpretation that the putative extension of this notochord actually represents a variant form of the prechordal plate in amphioxus, some of whose cells would adopt the notochordal typology, but would lack notochordal patterning properties, and might have some (but not all) prechordal ones instead. We survey in detail the classic and recent literature on gastrulation, prechordal plate, and notochord formation in amphioxus, compare the observed patterns with those of some other vertebrates of interest, and re-examine the literature on differential gene expression patterns in this rostralmost area of the head. We noted that previous literature failed to identify the amphioxus prechordal primordia at appropriate stages. Under this interpretation, a consistent picture can be drawn for cephalochordates, tunicates, and vertebrates. Moreover, there is little evidence for an intrinsic capacity of the early notochord to grow rostralwards (it normally elongates caudalwards). Altogether, we conclude that the hypothesis of a prechordal nature of the elongated amphioxus notochord is consistent with the evidence presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Luis Ferran
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Institute of Biomedical Research of Murcia - IMIB, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain
| | - Manuel Irimia
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luis Puelles
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Institute of Biomedical Research of Murcia - IMIB, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia, Spain
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9
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Afify SM, Hassan G, Nawara HM, H Zahra M, Xu Y, Alam MJ, Saitoh K, Mansour H, Abu Quora HA, Sheta M, Monzur S, Du J, Oh SY, Seno A, Salomon DS, Seno M. Optimization of production and characterization of a recombinant soluble human Cripto-1 protein inhibiting self-renewal of cancer stem cells. J Cell Biochem 2022; 123:1183-1196. [PMID: 35578735 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Human Cripto-1 is a member of the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-Cripto-FRL-1-Cryptic (CFC) family family and performs critical roles in cancer and various pathological and developmental processes. Recently we demonstrated that a soluble form of Cripto-1 suppresses the self-renewal and enhances the differentiation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). A functional form of soluble Cripto-1 was found to be difficult to obtain because of the 12 cysteine residues in the protein which impairs the folding process. Here, we optimized the protocol for a T7 expression system, purification from inclusion bodies under denatured conditions refolding of a His-tagged Cripto-1 protein. A concentrations of 0.2-0.4 mM isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) at 37°C was found to be the optimal concentration for Cripto-1 expression while imidazole at 0.5 M was the optimum concentration to elute the Cripto-1 protein from a Ni-column in the smallest volume. Cation exchange column chromatography of the Cripto-1 protein in the presence of 8 M urea exhibited sufficient elution profile at pH 5, which was more efficient at recovery. The recovery of the protein reached to more than 26.6% after refolding with arginine. The purified Cripto-1 exhibited high affinity to the anti-ALK-4 antibody and suppressed sphere forming ability of CSCs at high dose and induced cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Said M Afify
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan.,Division of Biochemistry, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, 32511, Shebin El Kom, Menofiua, Egypt
| | - Ghmkin Hassan
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan.,Current address: Department of Genomic Oncology and Oral Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Science, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hend M Nawara
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
| | - Maram H Zahra
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan.,Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, 7000086, okayama, okayama, Japan
| | - Yanning Xu
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan.,Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, 7000086, okayama, okayama, Japan.,Department of Pathology, Tianjin Central Hospital of Gynecology Obstetrics, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Md Jahangir Alam
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
| | - Koichi Saitoh
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
| | - Hager Mansour
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
| | - Hagar A Abu Quora
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
| | - Mona Sheta
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan.,Department of Cancer Biology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sadia Monzur
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
| | - Juan Du
- Shanxi Cancer Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | | | - Akimasa Seno
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
| | - David S Salomon
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Masaharu Seno
- Department of Biotechnology and Drug Discovery, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan.,Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, 7000086, okayama, okayama, Japan.,Department of Cancer Stem Cell Engineering, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, 700-8530, Okayama, Japan
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10
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Bornhorst D, Abdelilah-Seyfried S. Strong as a Hippo's Heart: Biomechanical Hippo Signaling During Zebrafish Cardiac Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:731101. [PMID: 34422841 PMCID: PMC8375320 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.731101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The heart is comprised of multiple tissues that contribute to its physiological functions. During development, the growth of myocardium and endocardium is coupled and morphogenetic processes within these separate tissue layers are integrated. Here, we discuss the roles of mechanosensitive Hippo signaling in growth and morphogenesis of the zebrafish heart. Hippo signaling is involved in defining numbers of cardiac progenitor cells derived from the secondary heart field, in restricting the growth of the epicardium, and in guiding trabeculation and outflow tract formation. Recent work also shows that myocardial chamber dimensions serve as a blueprint for Hippo signaling-dependent growth of the endocardium. Evidently, Hippo pathway components act at the crossroads of various signaling pathways involved in embryonic zebrafish heart development. Elucidating how biomechanical Hippo signaling guides heart morphogenesis has direct implications for our understanding of cardiac physiology and pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothee Bornhorst
- Stem Cell Program, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Salim Abdelilah-Seyfried
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.,Institute of Molecular Biology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
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11
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Marelli F, Rurale G, Persani L. From Endoderm to Progenitors: An Update on the Early Steps of Thyroid Morphogenesis in the Zebrafish. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:664557. [PMID: 34149617 PMCID: PMC8213386 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.664557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying thyroid gland development have a central interest in biology and this review is aimed to provide an update on the recent advancements on the early steps of thyroid differentiation that were obtained in the zebrafish, because this teleost fish revealed to be a suitable organism to study the early developmental stages. Physiologically, the thyroid precursors fate is delineated by the appearance among the endoderm cells of the foregut of a restricted cell population expressing specific transcription factors, including pax2a, nkx2.4b, and hhex. The committed thyroid primordium first appears as a thickening of the pharyngeal floor of the anterior endoderm, that subsequently detaches from the floor and migrates to its final location where it gives rise to the thyroid hormone-producing follicles. At variance with mammalian models, thyroid precursor differentiation in zebrafish occurs early during the developmental process before the dislocation to the eutopic positioning of thyroid follicles. Several pathways have been implicated in these early events and nowadays there is evidence of a complex crosstalk between intrinsic (coming from the endoderm and thyroid precursors) and extrinsic factors (coming from surrounding tissues, as the cardiac mesoderm) whose organization in time and space is probably required for the proper thyroid development. In particular, Notch, Shh, Fgf, Bmp, and Wnt signaling seems to be required for the commitment of endodermal cells to a thyroid fate at specific developmental windows of zebrafish embryo. Here, we summarize the recent findings produced in the various zebrafish experimental models with the aim to define a comprehensive picture of such complicated puzzle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Marelli
- Dipartimento di Malattie Endocrine e del Metabolismo, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano - LITA, Segrate, Italy
| | - Giuditta Rurale
- Dipartimento di Malattie Endocrine e del Metabolismo, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Persani
- Dipartimento di Malattie Endocrine e del Metabolismo, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano - LITA, Segrate, Italy
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12
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Lord ND, Carte AN, Abitua PB, Schier AF. The pattern of nodal morphogen signaling is shaped by co-receptor expression. eLife 2021; 10:e54894. [PMID: 34036935 PMCID: PMC8266389 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryos must communicate instructions to their constituent cells over long distances. These instructions are often encoded in the concentration of signals called morphogens. In the textbook view, morphogen molecules diffuse from a localized source to form a concentration gradient, and target cells adopt fates by measuring the local morphogen concentration. However, natural patterning systems often incorporate numerous co-factors and extensive signaling feedback, suggesting that embryos require additional mechanisms to generate signaling patterns. Here, we examine the mechanisms of signaling pattern formation for the mesendoderm inducer Nodal during zebrafish embryogenesis. We find that Nodal signaling activity spans a normal range in the absence of signaling feedback and relay, suggesting that diffusion is sufficient for Nodal gradient formation. We further show that the range of endogenous Nodal ligands is set by the EGF-CFC co-receptor Oep: in the absence of Oep, Nodal activity spreads to form a nearly uniform distribution throughout the embryo. In turn, increasing Oep levels sensitizes cells to Nodal ligands. We recapitulate these experimental results with a computational model in which Oep regulates the diffusive spread of Nodal ligands by setting the rate of capture by target cells. This model predicts, and we confirm in vivo, the surprising observation that a failure to replenish Oep transforms the Nodal signaling gradient into a travelling wave. These results reveal that patterns of Nodal morphogen signaling are shaped by co-receptor-mediated restriction of ligand spread and sensitization of responding cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan D Lord
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Adam N Carte
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Systems, Synthetic, and Quantitative Biology PhD Program, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Biozentrum, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Philip B Abitua
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Alexander F Schier
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Biozentrum, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Allen Discovery Center for Cell Lineage Tracing, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
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13
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Torres-Paz J, Rétaux S. Pescoids and Chimeras to Probe Early Evo-Devo in the Fish Astyanax mexicanus. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:667296. [PMID: 33928092 PMCID: PMC8078105 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.667296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The fish species Astyanax mexicanus with its sighted and blind eco-morphotypes has become an original model to challenge vertebrate developmental evolution. Recently, we demonstrated that phenotypic evolution can be impacted by early developmental events starting from the production of oocytes in the fish ovaries. A. mexicanus offers an amenable model to test the influence of maternal determinants on cell fate decisions during early development, yet the mechanisms by which the information contained in the eggs is translated into specific developmental programs remain obscure due to the lack of specific tools in this emergent model. Here we describe methods for the generation of pescoids from yolkless-blastoderm explants to test the influence of embryonic and extraembryonic tissues on cell fate decisions, as well as the production of chimeric embryos obtained by intermorph cell transplantations to probe cell autonomous or non-autonomous processes. We show that Astyanax pescoids have the potential to recapitulate the main ontogenetic events observed in intact embryos, including the internalization of mesodermal progenitors and eye development, as followed with zic:GFP reporter lines. In addition, intermorph cell grafts resulted in proper integration of exogenous cells into the embryonic tissues, with lineages becoming more restricted from mid-blastula to gastrula. The implementation of these approaches in A. mexicanus will bring new light on the cascades of events, from the maternal pre-patterning of the early embryo to the evolution of brain regionalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Torres-Paz
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Sylvie Rétaux
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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14
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The Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor Spint2 is required for cellular cohesion, coordinated cell migration and cell survival during zebrafish hatching gland development. Dev Biol 2021; 476:148-170. [PMID: 33826923 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
We have previously shown that the Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor Spint1a, also named Hai1a, is required in the zebrafish embryonic epidermis to restrict the activity of the type II transmembrane serine protease (TTSP) Matriptase1a/St14a, thereby ensuring epidermal homeostasis. A closely related Kunitz-type inhibitor is Spint2/Hai2, which in mammals plays multiple developmental roles that are either redundant or non-redundant with those of Spint1. However, the molecular bases for these non-redundancies are not fully understood. Here, we study spint2 during zebrafish development. It is co-expressed with spint1a in multiple embryonic epithelia, including the outer/peridermal layer of the epidermis. However, unlike spint1a, spint2 expression is absent from the basal epidermal layer but present in hatching gland cells. Hatching gland cells derive from the mesendodermal prechordal plate, from where they undergo a thus far undescribed transit into, and coordinated sheet migration within, the interspace between the outer and basal layer of the epidermis to reach their final destination on the yolk sac. Hatching gland cells usually survive their degranulation that drives embryo hatching but die several days later. In spint2 mutants, cohesion among hatching gland cells and their collective intra-epidermal migration are disturbed, leading to a discontinuous organization of the gland. In addition, cells undergo precocious cell death before degranulation, so that embryos fail to hatch. Chimera analyses show that Spint2 is required in hatching gland cells, but not in the overlying periderm, their potential migration and adhesion substrate. Spint2 acts independently of all tested Matriptases, Prostasins and other described Spint1 and Spint2 mediators. However, it displays a tight genetic interaction with and acts at least partly via the cell-cell adhesion protein E-cadherin, promoting both hatching gland cell cohesiveness and survival, in line with formerly reported effects of E-cadherin during morphogenesis and cell death suppression. In contrast, no such genetic interaction was observed between Spint2 and the cell-cell adhesion molecule EpCAM, which instead interacts with Spint1a. Our data shed new light onto the mechanisms of hatching gland morphogenesis and hatching gland cell survival. In addition, they reveal developmental roles of Spint2 that are strikingly different from those of Spint1, most likely due to differences in the expression patterns and relevant target proteins.
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15
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Bruce AEE, Winklbauer R. Brachyury in the gastrula of basal vertebrates. Mech Dev 2020; 163:103625. [PMID: 32526279 DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2020.103625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The Brachyury gene encodes a transcription factor that is conserved across all animals. In non-chordate metazoans, brachyury is primarily expressed in ectoderm regions that are added to the endodermal gut during development, and often form a ring around the site of endoderm internalization in the gastrula, the blastopore. In chordates, this brachyury ring is conserved, but the gene has taken on a new role in the formation of the mesoderm. In this phylum, a novel type of mesoderm that develops into notochord and somites has been added to the ancestral lateral plate mesoderm. Brachyury contributes to a shift in cell fate from neural ectoderm to posterior notochord and somites during a major lineage segregation event that in Xenopus and in the zebrafish takes place in the early gastrula. In the absence of this brachyury function, impaired formation of posterior mesoderm indirectly affects the gastrulation movements of peak involution and convergent extension. These movements are confined to specific regions and stages, leaving open the question why brachyury expression in an extensive, coherent ring, before, during and after gastrulation, is conserved in the two species whose gastrulation modes differ considerably, and also in many other metazoan gastrulae of diverse structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E E Bruce
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Rudolf Winklbauer
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Canada.
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16
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Abstract
Gastrulation is a critical early morphogenetic process of animal development, during which the three germ layers; mesoderm, endoderm and ectoderm, are rearranged by internalization movements. Concurrent epiboly movements spread and thin the germ layers while convergence and extension movements shape them into an anteroposteriorly elongated body with head, trunk, tail and organ rudiments. In zebrafish, gastrulation follows the proliferative and inductive events that establish the embryonic and extraembryonic tissues and the embryonic axis. Specification of these tissues and embryonic axes are controlled by the maternal gene products deposited in the egg. These early maternally controlled processes need to generate sufficient cell numbers and establish the embryonic polarity to ensure normal gastrulation. Subsequently, after activation of the zygotic genome, the zygotic gene products govern mesoderm and endoderm induction and germ layer patterning. Gastrulation is initiated during the maternal-to-zygotic transition, a process that entails both activation of the zygotic genome and downregulation of the maternal transcripts. Genomic studies indicate that gastrulation is largely controlled by the zygotic genome. Nonetheless, genetic studies that investigate the relative contributions of maternal and zygotic gene function by comparing zygotic, maternal and maternal zygotic mutant phenotypes, reveal significant contribution of maternal gene products, transcripts and/or proteins, that persist through gastrulation, to the control of gastrulation movements. Therefore, in zebrafish, the maternally expressed gene products not only set the stage for, but they also actively participate in gastrulation morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilianna Solnica-Krezel
- Department of Developmental Biology and Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
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17
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Bosze B, Ono Y, Mattes B, Sinner C, Gourain V, Thumberger T, Tlili S, Wittbrodt J, Saunders TE, Strähle U, Schug A, Scholpp S. Pcdh18a regulates endocytosis of E-cadherin during axial mesoderm development in zebrafish. Histochem Cell Biol 2020; 154:463-480. [PMID: 32488346 PMCID: PMC7609436 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-020-01887-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The notochord defines the axial structure of all vertebrates during development. Notogenesis is a result of major cell reorganization in the mesoderm, the convergence and the extension of the axial cells. However, it is currently not fully understood how these processes act together in a coordinated way during notochord formation. The prechordal plate is an actively migrating cell population in the central mesoderm anterior to the trailing notochordal plate cells. We show that prechordal plate cells express Protocadherin 18a (Pcdh18a), a member of the cadherin superfamily. We find that Pcdh18a-mediated recycling of E-cadherin adhesion complexes transforms prechordal plate cells into a cohesive and fast migrating cell group. In turn, the prechordal plate cells subsequently instruct the trailing mesoderm. We simulated cell migration during early mesoderm formation using a lattice-based mathematical framework and predicted that the requirement for an anterior, local motile cell cluster could guide the intercalation and extension of the posterior, axial cells. Indeed, a grafting experiment validated the prediction and local Pcdh18a expression induced an ectopic prechordal plate-like cell group migrating towards the animal pole. Our findings indicate that the Pcdh18a is important for prechordal plate formation, which influences the trailing mesodermal cell sheet by orchestrating the morphogenesis of the notochord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernadett Bosze
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Yosuke Ono
- Living Systems Institute, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Benjamin Mattes
- Living Systems Institute, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Claude Sinner
- Steinbuch Centre for Computing, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, 76021, Germany.,Department of Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Victor Gourain
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Thomas Thumberger
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sham Tlili
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117411, Singapore
| | - Joachim Wittbrodt
- Centre for Organismal Studies, Heidelberg University, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Timothy E Saunders
- Living Systems Institute, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK.,Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117411, Singapore
| | - Uwe Strähle
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Alexander Schug
- Steinbuch Centre for Computing, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, 76021, Germany
| | - Steffen Scholpp
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany. .,Living Systems Institute, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK.
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18
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Wang H, Holland PWH, Takahashi T. Gene profiling of head mesoderm in early zebrafish development: insights into the evolution of cranial mesoderm. EvoDevo 2019; 10:14. [PMID: 31312422 PMCID: PMC6612195 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-019-0128-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The evolution of the head was one of the key events that marked the transition from invertebrates to vertebrates. With the emergence of structures such as eyes and jaws, vertebrates evolved an active and predatory life style and radiated into diversity of large-bodied animals. These organs are moved by cranial muscles that derive embryologically from head mesoderm. Compared with other embryonic components of the head, such as placodes and cranial neural crest cells, our understanding of cranial mesoderm is limited and is restricted to few species. Results Here, we report the expression patterns of key genes in zebrafish head mesoderm at very early developmental stages. Apart from a basic anterior–posterior axis marked by a combination of pitx2 and tbx1 expression, we find that most gene expression patterns are poorly conserved between zebrafish and chick, suggesting fewer developmental constraints imposed than in trunk mesoderm. Interestingly, the gene expression patterns clearly show the early establishment of medial–lateral compartmentalisation in zebrafish head mesoderm, comprising a wide medial zone flanked by two narrower strips. Conclusions In zebrafish head mesoderm, there is no clear molecular regionalisation along the anteroposterior axis as previously reported in chick embryos. In contrast, the medial–lateral regionalisation is formed at early developmental stages. These patterns correspond to the distinction between paraxial mesoderm and lateral plate mesoderm in the trunk, suggesting a common groundplan for patterning head and trunk mesoderm. By comparison of these expression patterns to that of amphioxus homologues, we argue for an evolutionary link between zebrafish head mesoderm and amphioxus anteriormost somites. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13227-019-0128-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijia Wang
- 1Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT UK
| | - Peter W H Holland
- 2Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ UK
| | - Tokiharu Takahashi
- 1Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT UK
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19
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Hoover M, Runa F, Booker E, Diedrich JK, Duell E, Williams B, Arellano-Garcia C, Uhlendorf T, La Kim S, Fischer W, Moresco J, Gray PC, Kelber JA. Identification of myosin II as a cripto binding protein and regulator of cripto function in stem cells and tissue regeneration. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 509:69-75. [PMID: 30579599 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.12.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Cripto regulates stem cell function in normal and disease contexts via TGFbeta/activin/nodal, PI3K/Akt, MAPK and Wnt signaling. Still, the molecular mechanisms that govern these pleiotropic functions of Cripto remain poorly understood. We performed an unbiased screen for novel Cripto binding proteins using proteomics-based methods, and identified novel proteins including members of myosin II complexes, the actin cytoskeleton, the cellular stress response, and extracellular exosomes. We report that myosin II, and upstream ROCK1/2 activities are required for localization of Cripto to cytoplasm/membrane domains and its subsequent release into the conditioned media fraction of cultured cells. Functionally, we demonstrate that soluble Cripto (one-eyed pinhead in zebrafish) promotes proliferation in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and stem cell-mediated wound healing in the zebrafish caudal fin model of regeneration. Notably, we demonstrate that both Cripto and myosin II inhibitors attenuated regeneration to a similar degree and in a non-additive manner. Taken together, our data present a novel role for myosin II function in regulating subcellular Cripto localization and function in stem cells and an important regulatory mechanism of tissue regeneration. Importantly, these insights may further the development of context-dependent Cripto agonists and antagonists for therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malachia Hoover
- Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, USA
| | - Farhana Runa
- Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, USA
| | - Evan Booker
- Clayton Foundation for Peptide Biology, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA
| | - Jolene K Diedrich
- Mass Spectrometry Core, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA
| | - Erika Duell
- Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, USA
| | - Blake Williams
- Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, USA
| | | | - Toni Uhlendorf
- Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, USA
| | - Sa La Kim
- Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, USA
| | - Wolfgang Fischer
- Clayton Foundation for Peptide Biology, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA
| | - James Moresco
- Mass Spectrometry Core, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA
| | - Peter C Gray
- Clayton Foundation for Peptide Biology, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA
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20
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Warga RM, Kane DA. Wilson cell origin for kupffer's vesicle in the zebrafish. Dev Dyn 2018; 247:1057-1069. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M. Warga
- Department of Biological Sciences; Western Michigan University; Kalamazoo Michigan
| | - Donald A. Kane
- Department of Biological Sciences; Western Michigan University; Kalamazoo Michigan
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21
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In vivo targeted single-nucleotide editing in zebrafish. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11423. [PMID: 30061715 PMCID: PMC6065354 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29794-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, several genome editing technologies have been developed and are widely utilized in many fields of biology. Most of these technologies, if not all, use nucleases to create DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), raising the potential risk of cell death and/or oncogenic transformation. The risks hinder their therapeutic applications in humans. Here, we show that in vivo targeted single-nucleotide editing in zebrafish, a vertebrate model organism, can be successfully accomplished with the Target-AID system, which involves deamination of a targeted cytidine to create a nucleotide substitution from cytosine to thymine after replication. Application of the system to two zebrafish genes, chordin (chd) and one-eyed pinhead (oep), successfully introduced premature stop codons (TAG or TAA) in the targeted genomic loci. The modifications were heritable and faithfully produced phenocopies of well-known homozygous mutants of each gene. These results demonstrate for the first time that the Target-AID system can create heritable nucleotide substitutions in vivo in a programmable manner, in vertebrates, namely zebrafish.
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22
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Abstract
TGF-β family ligands function in inducing and patterning many tissues of the early vertebrate embryonic body plan. Nodal signaling is essential for the specification of mesendodermal tissues and the concurrent cellular movements of gastrulation. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling patterns tissues along the dorsal-ventral axis and simultaneously directs the cell movements of convergence and extension. After gastrulation, a second wave of Nodal signaling breaks the symmetry between the left and right sides of the embryo. During these processes, elaborate regulatory feedback between TGF-β ligands and their antagonists direct the proper specification and patterning of embryonic tissues. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the function and regulation of TGF-β family signaling in these processes. Although we cover principles that are involved in the development of all vertebrate embryos, we focus specifically on three popular model organisms: the mouse Mus musculus, the African clawed frog of the genus Xenopus, and the zebrafish Danio rerio, highlighting the similarities and differences between these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Zinski
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6058
| | - Benjamin Tajer
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6058
| | - Mary C Mullins
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6058
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23
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Roessler E, Hu P, Muenke M. Holoprosencephaly in the genomics era. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART C-SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2018; 178:165-174. [PMID: 29770992 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is the direct consequence of specific genetic and/or environmental insults interrupting the midline specification of the nascent forebrain. Such disturbances can lead to a broad range of phenotypic consequences for the brain and face in humans. This malformation sequence is remarkably common in utero (1 in 250 human fetuses), but 97% typically do not survive to birth. The precise molecular pathogenesis of HPE in these early human embryos remains largely unknown. Here, we outline our current understanding of the principal driving factors leading to HPE pathologies and elaborate our multifactorial integrated genomics approach. Overall, our understanding of the pathogenesis continues to become simpler, rather than more complicated. Genomic technologies now provide unprecedented insight into disease-associated variation, including the overall extent of genetic interactions (coding and noncoding) predicted to explain divergent phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erich Roessler
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human, Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ping Hu
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human, Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Maximilian Muenke
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human, Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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24
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Vopalensky P, Pralow S, Vastenhouw NL. Reduced expression of the Nodal co-receptor Oep causes loss of mesendodermal competence in zebrafish. Development 2018; 145:dev.158832. [PMID: 29440298 DOI: 10.1242/dev.158832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The activation of specific gene expression programs depends on the presence of the appropriate signals and the competence of cells to respond to those signals. Although it is well established that cellular competence is regulated in space and time, the molecular mechanisms underlying the loss of competence remain largely unknown. Here, we determine the time window during which zebrafish prospective ectoderm loses its ability to respond to Nodal signals, and show that this coincides with a decrease in the levels of the Nodal co-receptor One-eyed pinhead (Oep). Bypassing Oep using a photoactivatable receptor, or an Oep-independent ligand, allows activation of Nodal target genes for an extended period of time. These results suggest that the reduced expression of Oep causes the loss of responsiveness to Nodal signals in the prospective ectoderm. Indeed, extending the presence of Oep prolongs the window of competence to respond to Nodal signals. Our findings suggest a simple mechanism in which the decreasing level of one component of the Nodal signaling pathway regulates the loss of mesendodermal competence in the prospective ectoderm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Vopalensky
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sabrina Pralow
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Nadine L Vastenhouw
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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25
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Wei S, Wang Q. Molecular regulation of Nodal signaling during mesendoderm formation. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2018; 50:74-81. [PMID: 29206913 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmx128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most important events during vertebrate embryogenesis is the formation or specification of the three germ layers, endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. After a series of rapid cleavages, embryos form the mesendoderm and ectoderm during late blastulation and early gastrulation. The mesendoderm then further differentiates into the mesoderm and endoderm. Nodal, a member of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily, plays a pivotal role in mesendoderm formation by regulating the expression of a number of critical transcription factors, including Mix-like, GATA, Sox, and Fox. Because the Nodal signal transduction pathway is well-characterized, increasing effort has been made to delineate the spatiotemporal modulation of Nodal signaling during embryonic development. In this review, we summarize the recent progress delineating molecular regulation of Nodal signal intensity and duration during mesendoderm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Wei
- The State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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26
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Abstract
During pregnancy fetus can be exposed to a variety of chemicals which may induce abortion and malformations. Due to the amounts of new substances coming into the market every year, a high demand for a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective method to detect potential toxicity is necessary. Different species have been used as animal models for teratogen screening, most of them sharing similar development processes with humans. However, the application of embryology knowledge to teratology is hampered by the complexity of the reproduction processes.The present chapter outlines the essential development periods in different models, and highlights the similarities and differences between species, advantages and disadvantages of each group, and specific sensitivities for teratogenic tests. These models can be organized into the following categories: (1) invertebrate species such Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster, which have become ideal for screening simple mechanisms in the early periods of reproductive cycle, allowing for rapid results and minor ethical concerns; (2) vertebrate nonmammalian species such Xenopus laevis and Danio rerio, important models to assess teratogenic potential in later development with fewer ethical requirements; and (3) the mammalian species Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, and Oryctolagus cuniculus, phylogenetically more close to humans, essential to assess complex specialized processes, that occur later in development.Rules for development toxicology tests require the use of mammalian species. However, ethical concerns and costs limit their use in large-scale screening. By contrast, invertebrate and vertebrate nonmammalian species are increasing as alternative animal models, as these organisms combine less ethical requirements, low costs and culture conditions compatible with large-scale screening. In contrast to the in vitro techniques, their main advantage is to allow for high-throughput screening in a whole-animal context, not dependent on the prior identification of a target. In this chapter, the biological development of the animals most used in teratogenic tests is adressed with the aims of maximizing human translation, reducing the number of animals used, and the time to market for new drugs.
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Burdine RD, Grimes DT. Antagonistic interactions in the zebrafish midline prior to the emergence of asymmetric gene expression are important for left-right patterning. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 371:rstb.2015.0402. [PMID: 27821532 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Left-right (L-R) asymmetry of the internal organs of vertebrates is presaged by domains of asymmetric gene expression in the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) during somitogenesis. Ciliated L-R coordinators (LRCs) are critical for biasing the initiation of asymmetrically expressed genes, such as nodal and pitx2, to the left LPM. Other midline structures, including the notochord and floorplate, are then required to maintain these asymmetries. Here we report an unexpected role for the zebrafish EGF-CFC gene one-eyed pinhead (oep) in the midline to promote pitx2 expression in the LPM. Late zygotic oep (LZoep) mutants have strongly reduced or absent pitx2 expression in the LPM, but this expression can be rescued to strong levels by restoring oep in midline structures only. Furthermore, removing midline structures from LZoep embryos can rescue pitx2 expression in the LPM, suggesting the midline is a source of an LPM pitx2 repressor that is itself inhibited by oep Reducing lefty1 activity in LZoep embryos mimics removal of the midline, implicating lefty1 in the midline-derived repression. Together, this suggests a model where Oep in the midline functions to overcome a midline-derived repressor, involving lefty1, to allow for the expression of left side-specific genes in the LPM.This article is part of the themed issue 'Provocative questions in left-right asymmetry'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca D Burdine
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Daniel T Grimes
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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Development and growth of organs in living whole embryo and larval grafts in zebrafish. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16508. [PMID: 29184141 PMCID: PMC5705650 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16642-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related systemic environments influence neurogenesis and organ regeneration of heterochronic parabiotic partners; however, the difficulty of manipulating small embryos prevents the effects of aged systemic environments on primitive organs at the developmental stage from being analysed. Here, we describe a novel transplantation system to support whole living embryos/larvae as grafts in immunodeficient zebrafish by the intrusion of host blood vessels into the grafts, allowing bodies similar to those of heterochronic parabiosis to be generated by subcutaneous grafting. Although grafted embryos/larvae formed most organs, not all organogenesis was supported equally; although the brain, eyes and the intestine usually developed, the liver, testes and heart developed insufficiently or even occasionally disappeared. Removal of host germ cells stimulated testis development in grafted embryos. These results indicate that primitive testes are susceptible to the systemic environments that originated from the germ cells of aged hosts and imply that the primitive liver and heart are similar. Upon applying this method to embryonic lethal mutants, various types of organs, including testes that developed in germ-cell-removed recipients, and viable offspring were obtained from the mutants. This unique transplantation system will lead to new insights into the age-related systemic environments that are crucial for organogenesis in vertebrates.
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Illuminating developmental biology through photochemistry. Nat Chem Biol 2017; 13:587-598. [PMID: 28514427 DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.2369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Developmental biology has been continually shaped by technological advances, evolving from a descriptive science into one immersed in molecular and cellular mechanisms. Most recently, genome sequencing and 'omics' profiling have provided developmental biologists with a wealth of genetic and biochemical information; however, fully translating this knowledge into functional understanding will require new experimental capabilities. Photoactivatable probes have emerged as particularly valuable tools for investigating developmental mechanisms, as they can enable rapid, specific manipulations of DNA, RNA, proteins, and cells with spatiotemporal precision. In this Perspective, we describe optochemical and optogenetic systems that have been applied in multicellular organisms, insights gained through the use of these probes, and their current limitations. We also suggest how chemical biologists can expand the reach of photoactivatable technologies and bring new depth to our understanding of organismal development.
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Danesin C, Soula C. Moving the Shh Source over Time: What Impact on Neural Cell Diversification in the Developing Spinal Cord? J Dev Biol 2017; 5:jdb5020004. [PMID: 29615562 PMCID: PMC5831764 DOI: 10.3390/jdb5020004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A substantial amount of data has highlighted the crucial influence of Shh signalling on the generation of diverse classes of neurons and glial cells throughout the developing central nervous system. A critical step leading to this diversity is the establishment of distinct neural progenitor cell domains during the process of pattern formation. The forming spinal cord, in particular, has served as an excellent model to unravel how progenitor cells respond to Shh to produce the appropriate pattern. In recent years, considerable advances have been made in our understanding of important parameters that control the temporal and spatial interpretation of the morphogen signal at the level of Shh-receiving progenitor cells. Although less studied, the identity and position of Shh source cells also undergo significant changes over time, raising the question of how moving the Shh source contributes to cell diversification in response to the morphogen. Here, we focus on the dynamics of Shh-producing cells and discuss specific roles for these time-variant Shh sources with regard to the temporal events occurring in the receiving field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathy Danesin
- Centre de Biologie du Développement (CBD) CNRS/UPS, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, 31520 Toulouse, France.
| | - Cathy Soula
- Centre de Biologie du Développement (CBD) CNRS/UPS, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, 31520 Toulouse, France.
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Abstract
The zebrafish pancreas shares its basic organization and cell types with the mammalian pancreas. In addition, the developmental pathways that lead to the establishment of the pancreatic islets of Langherhans are generally conserved from fish to mammals. Zebrafish provides a powerful tool to probe the mechanisms controlling establishment of the pancreatic endocrine cell types from early embryonic progenitor cells, as well as the regeneration of endocrine cells after damage. This knowledge is, in turn, applicable to refining protocols to generate renewable sources of human pancreatic islet cells that are critical for regulation of blood sugar levels. Here, we review how previous and ongoing studies in zebrafish and beyond are influencing the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying various forms of diabetes and efforts to develop cell-based approaches to cure this increasingly widespread disease.
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Sako K, Pradhan SJ, Barone V, Inglés-Prieto Á, Müller P, Ruprecht V, Čapek D, Galande S, Janovjak H, Heisenberg CP. Optogenetic Control of Nodal Signaling Reveals a Temporal Pattern of Nodal Signaling Regulating Cell Fate Specification during Gastrulation. Cell Rep 2016; 16:866-77. [PMID: 27396324 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.06.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Revised: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
During metazoan development, the temporal pattern of morphogen signaling is critical for organizing cell fates in space and time. Yet, tools for temporally controlling morphogen signaling within the embryo are still scarce. Here, we developed a photoactivatable Nodal receptor to determine how the temporal pattern of Nodal signaling affects cell fate specification during zebrafish gastrulation. By using this receptor to manipulate the duration of Nodal signaling in vivo by light, we show that extended Nodal signaling within the organizer promotes prechordal plate specification and suppresses endoderm differentiation. Endoderm differentiation is suppressed by extended Nodal signaling inducing expression of the transcriptional repressor goosecoid (gsc) in prechordal plate progenitors, which in turn restrains Nodal signaling from upregulating the endoderm differentiation gene sox17 within these cells. Thus, optogenetic manipulation of Nodal signaling identifies a critical role of Nodal signaling duration for organizer cell fate specification during gastrulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Sako
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Saurabh J Pradhan
- Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
| | - Vanessa Barone
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Álvaro Inglés-Prieto
- Laboratory of Synthetic Physiology, Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Patrick Müller
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Verena Ruprecht
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Daniel Čapek
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Sanjeev Galande
- Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
| | - Harald Janovjak
- Laboratory of Synthetic Physiology, Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria.
| | - Carl-Philipp Heisenberg
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria.
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Maschner A, Krück S, Draga M, Pröls F, Scaal M. Developmental dynamics of occipital and cervical somites. J Anat 2016; 229:601-609. [PMID: 27380812 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of somites leading to somite compartments, sclerotome, dermomyotome and myotome, has been intensely investigated. Most knowledge on somite development, including the commonly used somite maturation stages, is based on data from somites at thoracic and lumbar levels. Potential regional differences in somite maturation dynamics have been indicated by a number of studies, but have not yet been comprehensively examined. Here, we present an overview on the developmental dynamics of somites at occipital and cervical levels in the chicken embryo. We show that in these regions, the onset of sclerotomal and myotomal compartment formation is later than at thoracolumbar levels, and is initiated simultaneously in multiple somites, which is in contrast to the serial cranial- to- caudal progression of somite maturation in the trunk. Our data suggest a variant spatiotemporal regulation of somite development in occipitocervical somites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Maschner
- Department of Molecular Embryology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Krück
- Institute of Anatomy II, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Margarethe Draga
- Institute of Anatomy II, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Felicitas Pröls
- Institute of Anatomy II, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Martin Scaal
- Institute of Anatomy II, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. .,Department of Molecular Embryology, Institute of Anatomy, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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Diaz-Tellez A, Zampedri C, Ramos-Balderas JL, García-Hernández F, Maldonado E. Zebrafish scarb2a insertional mutant reveals a novel function for the Scarb2/Limp2 receptor in notochord development. Dev Dyn 2016; 245:508-19. [PMID: 26743566 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Scarb2 or Limp2 belong to a subfamily of Scavenger receptors described as lysosomal transmembrane glycosylated receptors, that are mutated in the human syndrome AMRF (action myoclonus-renal failure). The zebrafish insertional mutant scarb2a(hi1463Tg) has notochord defects, the notochord is a defining feature of chordates running along the center of the longitudinal axis and it is essential for forming the spinal column in all vertebrates. RESULTS There are three paralogous scarb2 genes in zebrafish; scarb2a, scarb2b, and scarb2c. Both Scarb2a and Scarb2b proteins lack the classical di-leucine motif. We found that scarb2a(hi1463Tg) homozygous zebrafish embryos have a null mutation impairing vacuole formation in the notochord and simultaneously disrupting proper formation of the basement membrane resulting in its thickening at the ventral side of the notochord, which may be the cause for the anomalous upward bending observed in the trunk. Through whole-mount in situ hybridization, we detected scarb2a mRNA expression in the notochord and in the brain early in development. However, it is puzzling that scarb2a notochord mRNA expression is short-lived in the presumptive notochord and precedes the complete differentiation of the notochord. CONCLUSIONS This work describes a novel function for the Scarb2 receptor as an essential glycoprotein for notochord development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Diaz-Tellez
- EvoDevo Lab, Unidad de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Cecilia Zampedri
- EvoDevo Lab, Unidad de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Jose L Ramos-Balderas
- Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, D.F. México
| | | | - Ernesto Maldonado
- EvoDevo Lab, Unidad de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
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Abstract
The neuroendocrine hypothalamus is composed of the tuberal and anterodorsal hypothalamus, together with the median eminence/neurohypophysis. It centrally governs wide-ranging physiological processes, including homeostasis of energy balance, circadian rhythms and stress responses, as well as growth and reproductive behaviours. Homeostasis is maintained by integrating sensory inputs and effecting responses via autonomic, endocrine and behavioural outputs, over diverse time-scales and throughout the lifecourse of an individual. Here, we summarize studies that begin to reveal how different territories and cell types within the neuroendocrine hypothalamus are assembled in an integrated manner to enable function, thus supporting the organism's ability to survive and thrive. We discuss how signaling pathways and transcription factors dictate the appearance and regionalization of the hypothalamic primordium, the maintenance of progenitor cells, and their specification and differentiation into neurons. We comment on recent studies that harness such programmes for the directed differentiation of human ES/iPS cells. We summarize how developmental plasticity is maintained even into adulthood and how integration between the hypothalamus and peripheral body is established in the median eminence and neurohypophysis. Analysis of model organisms, including mouse, chick and zebrafish, provides a picture of how complex, yet elegantly coordinated, developmental programmes build glial and neuronal cells around the third ventricle of the brain. Such conserved processes enable the hypothalamus to mediate its function as a central integrating and response-control mediator for the homeostatic processes that are critical to life. Early indications suggest that deregulation of these events may underlie multifaceted pathological conditions and dysfunctional physiology in humans, such as obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Burbridge
- Bateson Centre and Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Iain Stewart
- Bateson Centre and Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Marysia Placzek
- Bateson Centre and Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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37
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Pauli A, Montague TG, Lennox KA, Behlke MA, Schier AF. Antisense Oligonucleotide-Mediated Transcript Knockdown in Zebrafish. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0139504. [PMID: 26436892 PMCID: PMC4593562 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are synthetic, single-strand RNA-DNA hybrids that induce catalytic degradation of complementary cellular RNAs via RNase H. ASOs are widely used as gene knockdown reagents in tissue culture and in Xenopus and mouse model systems. To test their effectiveness in zebrafish, we targeted 20 developmental genes and compared the morphological changes with mutant and morpholino (MO)-induced phenotypes. ASO-mediated transcript knockdown reproduced the published loss-of-function phenotypes for oep, chordin, dnd, ctnnb2, bmp7a, alk8, smad2 and smad5 in a dosage-sensitive manner. ASOs knocked down both maternal and zygotic transcripts, as well as the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) MALAT1. ASOs were only effective within a narrow concentration range and were toxic at higher concentrations. Despite this drawback, quantitation of knockdown efficiency and the ability to degrade lncRNAs make ASOs a useful knockdown reagent in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Pauli
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Masschusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (AP); (AFS)
| | - Tessa G. Montague
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Masschusetts, United States of America
| | - Kim A. Lennox
- Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc., Coralville, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Mark A. Behlke
- Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc., Coralville, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Alexander F. Schier
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Masschusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (AP); (AFS)
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38
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Ma P, Swartz MR, Kindt LM, Kangas AM, Liang JO. Temperature Sensitivity of Neural Tube Defects in Zoep Mutants. Zebrafish 2015; 12:448-56. [PMID: 26366681 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2015.1113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTD) occur when the flat neural plate epithelium fails to fold into the neural tube, the precursor to the brain and spinal cord. Squint (Sqt/Ndr1), a Nodal ligand, and One-eyed pinhead (Oep), a component of the Nodal receptor, are required for anterior neural tube closure in zebrafish. The NTD in sqt and Zoep mutants are incompletely penetrant. The penetrance of several defects in sqt mutants increases upon heat or cold shock. In this project, undergraduate students tested whether temperature influences the Zoep open neural tube phenotype. Single pairs of adults were spawned at 28.5°C, the normal temperature for zebrafish, and one half of the resulting embryos were moved to 34°C at different developmental time points. Analysis of variance indicated temperature and clutch/genetic background significantly contributed to the penetrance of the open neural tube phenotype. Heat shock affected the embryos only at or before the midblastula stage. Many factors, including temperature changes in the mother, nutrition, and genetic background, contribute to NTD in humans. Thus, sqt and Zoep mutants may serve as valuable models for studying the interactions between genetics and the environment during neurulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phyo Ma
- 1 Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth , Duluth, Minnesota
| | - Morgan R Swartz
- 1 Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth , Duluth, Minnesota
| | - Lexy M Kindt
- 1 Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth , Duluth, Minnesota.,2 Integrated Biosciences Graduate Program, University of Minnesota , Duluth, Minnesota
| | - Ashley M Kangas
- 1 Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth , Duluth, Minnesota
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Payumo AY, Walker WJ, McQuade LE, Yamazoe S, Chen JK. Optochemical dissection of T-box gene-dependent medial floor plate development. ACS Chem Biol 2015; 10:1466-75. [PMID: 25781211 DOI: 10.1021/cb5010178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In addition to their cell-autonomous roles in mesoderm development, the zebrafish T-box transcription factors no tail a (ntla) and spadetail (spt/tbx16) are required for medial floor plate (MFP) formation. Posterior MFP cells are completely absent in zebrafish embryos lacking both Ntla and Spt function, and genetic mosaic analyses have shown that the two T-box genes promote MFP development in a non-cell-autonomous manner. On the basis of these observations, it has been proposed that Ntla/Spt-dependent mesoderm-derived signals are required for the induction of posterior but not anterior MFP cells. To investigate the mechanisms by which Ntla and Spt regulate MFP development, we have used photoactivatable caged morpholinos (cMOs) to silence these T-box genes with spatiotemporal control. We find that posterior MFP formation requires Ntla or Spt activity during early gastrulation, specifically in lateral margin-derived cells that converge toward the midline during epiboly and somitogenesis. Nodal signaling-dependent MFP specification is maintained in the absence of Ntla and Spt function; however, midline cells in ntla;spt morphants exhibit aberrant morphogenetic movements, resulting in their anterior mislocalization. Our findings indicate that Ntla and Spt do not differentially regulate MFP induction along the anterior-posterior axis; rather, the T-box genes act redundantly within margin-derived cells to promote the posterior extension of MFP progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Y. Payumo
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, ‡Department of Developmental
Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Whitney J. Walker
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, ‡Department of Developmental
Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Lindsey E. McQuade
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, ‡Department of Developmental
Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Sayumi Yamazoe
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, ‡Department of Developmental
Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - James K. Chen
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, ‡Department of Developmental
Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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Moreno-Ayala R, Schnabel D, Salas-Vidal E, Lomelí H. PIAS-like protein Zimp7 is required for the restriction of the zebrafish organizer and mesoderm development. Dev Biol 2015; 403:89-100. [PMID: 25912688 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Revised: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The Zmiz2 (Zimp7) protein and its homolog Zmiz1 (Zimp10) were initially identified in humans as androgen receptor co-activators. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of an SP-RING/Miz domain, which is highly conserved in members of the PIAS family and confers SUMO-conjugating activity. Zimp7 has been shown to interact with components of the Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway and with Brg1 and BAF57, components of the ATP-dependent mammalian SWI/SNF-like BAF chromatin-remodeling complexes. In this work, we analyze the role of zygotic Zimp7 in zebrafish development. We describe evidence indicating that Zimp7 is required for mesoderm development and dorsoventral patterning. Morpholino-mediated reduction of zygotic Zimp7 produced axial mesodermal defects that were preceded by up-regulation of organizer genes such as bozozok, goosecoid and floating head at the onset of gastrulation and by down-regulation of the ventral markers vox, vent and eve1 indicating loss of the ventrolateral mesoderm. Consistently, embryos overexpressing zimp7 RNA exhibited midline defects such as loss of forebrain and cyclopia accompanied by transcriptional changes directly opposite of those found in the morphants. In addition, the patterning of ventralized embryos produced by the overexpression of vox and vent was restored by a reduction of Zimp7 activity. Altogether, our findings indicate that Zimp7 is involved in transcriptional regulation of factors that are essential for patterning in the dorsoventral axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Moreno-Ayala
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Denhí Schnabel
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Enrique Salas-Vidal
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Hilda Lomelí
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
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Dubrulle J, Jordan BM, Akhmetova L, Farrell JA, Kim SH, Solnica-Krezel L, Schier AF. Response to Nodal morphogen gradient is determined by the kinetics of target gene induction. eLife 2015; 4. [PMID: 25869585 PMCID: PMC4395910 DOI: 10.7554/elife.05042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphogen gradients expose cells to different signal concentrations and induce target genes with different ranges of expression. To determine how the Nodal morphogen gradient induces distinct gene expression patterns during zebrafish embryogenesis, we measured the activation dynamics of the signal transducer Smad2 and the expression kinetics of long- and short-range target genes. We found that threshold models based on ligand concentration are insufficient to predict the response of target genes. Instead, morphogen interpretation is shaped by the kinetics of target gene induction: the higher the rate of transcription and the earlier the onset of induction, the greater the spatial range of expression. Thus, the timing and magnitude of target gene expression can be used to modulate the range of expression and diversify the response to morphogen gradients. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05042.001 How a cell can tell where it is in a developing embryo has fascinated scientists for decades. The pioneering computer scientist and mathematical biologist Alan Turing was the first person to coin the term ‘morphogen’ to describe a protein that provides information about locations in the body. A morphogen is released from a group of cells (called the ‘source’) and as it moves away its activity (called the ‘signal’) declines gradually. Cells sense this signal gradient and use it to detect their position with respect to the source. Nodal is an important morphogen and is required to establish the correct identity of cells in the embryo; for example, it helps determine which cells should become a brain or heart or gut cell and so on. The zebrafish is a widely used model to study animal development, in part because its embryos are transparent; this allows cells and proteins to be easily observed under a microscope. When Nodal acts on cells, another protein called Smad2 becomes activated, moves into the cell's nucleus, and then binds to specific genes. This triggers the expression of these genes, which are first copied into mRNA molecules via a process known as transcription and are then translated into proteins. The protein products of these targeted genes control cell identity and movement. Several models have been proposed to explain how different concentrations of Nodal switch on the expression of different target genes; that is to say, to explain how a cell interprets the Nodal gradient. Dubrulle et al. have now measured factors that underlie how this gradient is interpreted. Individual cells in zebrafish embryos were tracked under a microscope, and Smad2 activation and gene expression were assessed. Dubrulle et al. found that, in contradiction to previous models, the amount of Nodal present on its own was insufficient to predict the target gene response. Instead, their analysis suggests that the size of each target gene's response depends on its rate of transcription and how quickly it is first expressed in response to Nodal. These findings of Dubrulle et al. suggest that timing and transcription rate are important in determining the appropriate response to Nodal. Further work will be now needed to find out whether similar mechanisms regulate other processes that rely on the activity of morphogens. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05042.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Dubrulle
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Benjamin M Jordan
- Department of Mathematics, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, United States
| | - Laila Akhmetova
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Jeffrey A Farrell
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Seok-Hyung Kim
- Division of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, United States
| | - Lilianna Solnica-Krezel
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, United States
| | - Alexander F Schier
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
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An ensemble-averaged, cell density-based digital model of zebrafish embryo development derived from light-sheet microscopy data with single-cell resolution. Sci Rep 2015; 5:8601. [PMID: 25712513 PMCID: PMC5390106 DOI: 10.1038/srep08601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A new era in developmental biology has been ushered in by recent advances in the quantitative imaging of all-cell morphogenesis in living organisms. Here we have developed a light-sheet fluorescence microscopy-based framework with single-cell resolution for identification and characterization of subtle phenotypical changes of millimeter-sized organisms. Such a comparative study requires analyses of entire ensembles to be able to distinguish sample-to-sample variations from definitive phenotypical changes. We present a kinetic digital model of zebrafish embryos up to 16 h of development. The model is based on the precise overlay and averaging of data taken on multiple individuals and describes the cell density and its migration direction at every point in time. Quantitative metrics for multi-sample comparative studies have been introduced to analyze developmental variations within the ensemble. The digital model may serve as a canvas on which the behavior of cellular subpopulations can be studied. As an example, we have investigated cellular rearrangements during germ layer formation at the onset of gastrulation. A comparison of the one-eyed pinhead (oep) mutant with the digital model of the wild-type embryo reveals its abnormal development at the onset of gastrulation, many hours before changes are obvious to the eye.
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Abstract
Activin/Nodal growth factors control a broad range of biological processes, including early cell fate decisions, organogenesis and adult tissue homeostasis. Here, we provide an overview of the mechanisms by which the Activin/Nodal signalling pathway governs stem cell function in these different stages of development. We describe recent findings that associate Activin/Nodal signalling to pathological conditions, focusing on cancer stem cells in tumorigenesis and its potential as a target for therapies. Moreover, we will discuss future directions and questions that currently remain unanswered on the role of Activin/Nodal signalling in stem cell self-renewal, differentiation and proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siim Pauklin
- Anne McLaren Laboratory For Regenerative Medicine, Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, West Forvie Building, Robinson Way, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Ludovic Vallier
- Anne McLaren Laboratory For Regenerative Medicine, Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, West Forvie Building, Robinson Way, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
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RNAi-mediated gene silencing in zebrafish triggered by convergent transcription. Sci Rep 2014; 4:5222. [PMID: 24909225 PMCID: PMC4048883 DOI: 10.1038/srep05222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
RNAi based strategies to induce gene silencing are commonly employed in numerous model organisms but have not been extensively used in zebrafish. We found that introduction of transgenes containing convergent transcription units in zebrafish embryos induced stable transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) in cis and trans for reporter (mCherry) and endogenous (One-Eyed Pinhead (OEP) and miR-27a/b) genes. Convergent transcription enabled detection of both sense and antisense transcripts and silencing was suppressed upon Dicer knockdown, indicating processing of double stranded RNA. By ChIP analyses, increased silencing was accompanied by enrichment of the heterochromatin mark H3K9me3 in the two convergently arranged promoters and in the intervening reading frame. Our work demonstrates that convergent transcription can induce gene silencing in zebrafish providing another tool to create specific temporal and spatial control of gene expression.
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Kuo MW, Lou SW, Chung BC. Hedgehog-PKA signaling and gnrh3 regulate the development of zebrafish gnrh3 neurons. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95545. [PMID: 24879419 PMCID: PMC4039432 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2013] [Accepted: 03/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
GnRH neurons secrete GnRH that controls the development of the reproduction system. Despite many studies, the signals controlling the development of GnRH neurons from its progenitors have not been fully established. To understand the development of GnRH neurons, we examined the development of gnrh3-expressing cells using a transgenic zebrafish line that expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP) and LacZ driven by the gnrh3 promoter. GFP and LacZ expression recapitulated that of gnrh3 in the olfactory region, olfactory bulb and telencephalon. Depletion of gnrh3 by morpholinos led to a reduction of GFP- and gnrh3-expressing cells, while over-expression of gnrh3 mRNA increased the number of these cells. This result indicates a positive feed-forward regulation of gnrh3 cells by gnrh3. The gnrh3 cells were absent in embryos that lack Hedgehog signaling, but their numbers were increased in embryos overexpressing shhb. We manipulated the amounts of kinase that antagonizes the Hedgehog signaling pathway, protein kinase A (PKA), by treating embryos with PKA activator forskolin or by injecting mRNAs encoding its constitutively active catalytic subunit (PKA*) and dominant negative regulatory subunit (PKI) into zebrafish embryos. PKA* misexpression or forskolin treatment decreased GFP cell numbers, while PKI misexpression led to ectopic production of GFP cells. Our data indicate that the Hedgehog-PKA pathway participates in the development of gnrh3-expressing neurons during embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Wei Kuo
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Show-Wan Lou
- Institute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Bon-chu Chung
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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Araya C, Tawk M, Girdler GC, Costa M, Carmona-Fontaine C, Clarke JD. Mesoderm is required for coordinated cell movements within zebrafish neural plate in vivo. Neural Dev 2014; 9:9. [PMID: 24755297 PMCID: PMC4022452 DOI: 10.1186/1749-8104-9-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Morphogenesis of the zebrafish neural tube requires the coordinated movement of many cells in both time and space. A good example of this is the movement of the cells in the zebrafish neural plate as they converge towards the dorsal midline before internalizing to form a neural keel. How these cells are regulated to ensure that they move together as a coherent tissue is unknown. Previous work in other systems has suggested that the underlying mesoderm may play a role in this process but this has not been shown directly in vivo. Results Here we analyze the roles of subjacent mesoderm in the coordination of neural cell movements during convergence of the zebrafish neural plate and neural keel formation. Live imaging demonstrates that the normal highly coordinated movements of neural plate cells are lost in the absence of underlying mesoderm and the movements of internalization and neural tube formation are severely disrupted. Despite this, neuroepithelial polarity develops in the abnormal neural primordium but the resulting tissue architecture is very disorganized. Conclusions We show that the movements of cells in the zebrafish neural plate are highly coordinated during the convergence and internalization movements of neurulation. Our results demonstrate that the underlying mesoderm is required for these coordinated cell movements in the zebrafish neural plate in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Jonathan Dw Clarke
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, New Hunt's House, 4th Floor, Guy's Hospital Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK.
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Huhta J, Linask KK. Environmental origins of congenital heart disease: the heart-placenta connection. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med 2013; 18:245-50. [PMID: 23751925 DOI: 10.1016/j.siny.2013.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Although the mammalian embryo is well protected in the uterus, environmental chemicals, drugs, and maternal nutritional imbalances can interfere with regulatory pathways directing placental and embryonic development early in gestation. Embryonic cells are most susceptible to environmental influences during cellular specification and differentiation stages. Because biochemical differentiation precedes morphological outcome often by days, the period of susceptibility to environmental chemicals expectedly precedes visible morphogenic effects. The cellular mechanisms by which drugs and other environmental factors disrupt embryonic development and induce cardiac abnormalities have remained undefined.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Huhta
- All Children's Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine, St Petersburg, FL, USA.
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Sequential effects of spadetail, one-eyed pinhead and no tail on midline convergence of nephric primordia during zebrafish embryogenesis. Dev Biol 2013; 384:290-300. [PMID: 23860396 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2012] [Revised: 06/12/2013] [Accepted: 07/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Midline convergence of organ primordia is an important mechanism that shapes the vertebrate body plan. Here, we focus on the morphogenetic movements of pronephric glomerular primordia (PGP) occurring during zebrafish embryonic kidney development. To characterize the process of PGP midline convergence, we used Wilms' tumour 1a (wt1a) as a marker to label kidney primordia, and performed quantitative analyses of the migration of the bilateral PGP. The PGP initially are approximately 350 μm apart in a wild type embryo at 10h post fertilization (hpf). The inter-PGP distance decreases exponentially between 10 and 48 hpf, while the anterior-posterior (A-P) dimension of each PGP increases linearly between 10 and 12 hpf, then decreases substantially between 12 and 24 hpf. Using mutants in the Nodal receptor cofactor one-eyed pinhead (oep) and the T-box transcription factors spadetail (spt) and no tail (ntl), we were able to define distinctive regulation underlying these sequential phases of PGP midline migration. Zygotic oep mutants (Zoep(-/-)) exhibited defects in midline convergence after 16 hpf. Spt is necessary for PGP convergence from 10 hpf, whereas ntl's effect on convergence does not begin until 24 hpf. Notably, we observed normal cardiac convergence in spt(-/-) and ntl(-/-) embryos implying that these novel roles of spt and ntl in PGP migration cannot be explained simply by generalised effects on midline convergence. These findings demonstrate that quantitative approaches to developmental migration allow the parsing of early patterning events, and in this instance suggest that the zebrafish may offer insights into midline urogenital migration anomalies in humans.
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Cattell MV, Garnett AT, Klymkowsky MW, Medeiros DM. A maternally established SoxB1/SoxF axis is a conserved feature of chordate germ layer patterning. Evol Dev 2013; 14:104-15. [PMID: 23016978 DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-142x.2011.00525.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Despite deep evolutionary roots in the metazoa, the gene regulatory network driving germ layer specification is surprisingly labile both between and within phyla. In Xenopus laevis, SoxB1- and SoxF-type transcription factors are intimately involved in germ-layer specification, in part through their regulation of Nodal signaling. However, it is unclear if X. laevis is representative of the ancestral vertebrate condition, as the precise roles of SoxF and SoxB1 in germ-layer specification vary among vertebrates, and there is no evidence that SoxF mediates germ-layer specification in any invertebrate. To better understand the evolution of germ-layer specification in the vertebrate lineage, we analyzed the expression of soxB1 and soxF genes in embryos and larvae of the basal vertebrate lamprey, and the basal chordate amphioxus. We find that both species maternally deposit soxB1 mRNA in the animal pole, soxF mRNA in the vegetal hemisphere, and zygotically express soxB1 and soxF throughout nascent ectoderm and mesendoderm, respectively. We also find that soxF is excluded from the vegetalmost blastomeres in lamprey and that, in contrast to vertebrates, amphioxus does not express soxF in the oral epithelium. In the context of recent work, our results suggest that a maternally established animal/vegetal Sox axis is a deeply conserved feature of chordate development that predates the role of Nodal in vertebrate germ-layer specification. Furthermore, exclusion of this axis from the vegetal pole in lamprey is consistent with the presence of an extraembryonic yolk mass, as has been previously proposed. Finally, conserved expression of SoxF in the forming mouth across the vertebrates, but not in amphioxus, lends support to the idea that the larval amphioxus mouth is nonhomologous to the vertebrate mouth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria V Cattell
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado-Boulder, CO 80309-0334, USA
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