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Liu H, Chen M. Morphology and Chemical Messenger Regulation of Echinoderm Muscles. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1349. [PMID: 37887059 PMCID: PMC10603993 DOI: 10.3390/biology12101349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The muscular systems of echinoderms play important roles in various physiological and behavioral processes, including feeding, reproduction, movement, respiration, and excretion. Like vertebrates, echinoderm muscle systems can be subdivided into two major divisions, somatic and visceral musculature. The former usually has a myoepithelial organization, while the latter contains muscle bundles formed by the aggregation of myocytes. Neurons and their processes are also detected between these myoepithelial cells and myocytes, which are capable of releasing a variety of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides to regulate muscle activity. Although many studies have reported the pharmacological effects of these chemical messengers on various muscles of echinoderms, there has been limited research on their receptors and their signaling pathways. The muscle physiology of echinoderms is similar to that of chordates, both of which have the deuterostome mode of development. Studies of muscle regulation in echinoderms can provide new insights into the evolution of myoregulatory systems in deuterostomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Muyan Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China;
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2
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Formery L, Wakefield A, Gesson M, Toisoul L, Lhomond G, Gilletta L, Lasbleiz R, Schubert M, Croce JC. Developmental atlas of the indirect-developing sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus: From fertilization to juvenile stages. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:966408. [DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.966408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus has been used as a model system in biology for more than a century. Over the past decades, it has been at the center of a number of studies in cell, developmental, ecological, toxicological, evolutionary, and aquaculture research. Due to this previous work, a significant amount of information is already available on the development of this species. However, this information is fragmented and rather incomplete. Here, we propose a comprehensive developmental atlas for this sea urchin species, describing its ontogeny from fertilization to juvenile stages. Our staging scheme includes three periods divided into 33 stages, plus 15 independent stages focused on the development of the coeloms and the adult rudiment. For each stage, we provide a thorough description based on observations made on live specimens using light microscopy, and when needed on fixed specimens using confocal microscopy. Our descriptions include, for each stage, the main anatomical characteristics related, for instance, to cell division, tissue morphogenesis, and/or organogenesis. Altogether, this work is the first of its kind providing, in a single study, a comprehensive description of the development of P. lividus embryos, larvae, and juveniles, including details on skeletogenesis, ciliogenesis, myogenesis, coelomogenesis, and formation of the adult rudiment as well as on the process of metamorphosis in live specimens. Given the renewed interest for the use of sea urchins in ecotoxicological, developmental, and evolutionary studies as well as in using marine invertebrates as alternative model systems for biomedical investigations, this study will greatly benefit the scientific community and will serve as a reference for specialists and non-specialists interested in studying sea urchins.
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3
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Perricone V, Grun TB, Marmo F, Langella C, Candia Carnevali MD. Constructional design of echinoid endoskeleton: main structural components and their potential for biomimetic applications. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2020; 16:011001. [PMID: 32927446 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/abb86b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The endoskeleton of echinoderms (Deuterostomia: Echinodermata) is of mesodermal origin and consists of cells, organic components, as well as an inorganic mineral matrix. The echinoderm skeleton forms a complex lattice-system, which represents a model structure for naturally inspired engineering in terms of construction, mechanical behaviour and functional design. The sea urchin (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) endoskeleton consists of three main structural components: test, dental apparatus and accessory appendages. Although, all parts of the echinoid skeleton consist of the same basic material, their microstructure displays a great potential in meeting several mechanical needs according to a direct and clear structure-function relationship. This versatility has allowed the echinoid skeleton to adapt to different activities such as structural support, defence, feeding, burrowing and cleaning. Although, constrained by energy and resource efficiency, many of the structures found in the echinoid skeleton are optimized in terms of functional performances. Therefore, these structures can be used as role models for bio-inspired solutions in various industrial sectors such as building constructions, robotics, biomedical and material engineering. The present review provides an overview of previous mechanical and biomimetic research on the echinoid endoskeleton, describing the current state of knowledge and providing a reference for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Perricone
- Dept. of Engineering, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Aversa, Italy
| | - Tobias B Grun
- Dept. of Invertebrate Paleontology, University of Florida, Florida Museum, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Francesco Marmo
- Dept. of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Carla Langella
- Dept. of Architecture and Industrial Design, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Aversa, Italy
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4
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Formery L, Orange F, Formery A, Yaguchi S, Lowe CJ, Schubert M, Croce JC. Neural anatomy of echinoid early juveniles and comparison of nervous system organization in echinoderms. J Comp Neurol 2020; 529:1135-1156. [PMID: 32841380 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The echinoderms are a phylum of marine deuterostomes characterized by the pentaradial (five fold) symmetry of their adult bodies. Due to this unusual body plan, adult echinoderms have long been excluded from comparative analyses aimed at understanding the origin and evolution of deuterostome nervous systems. Here, we investigated the neural anatomy of early juveniles of representatives of three of the five echinoderm classes: the echinoid Paracentrotus lividus, the asteroid Patiria miniata, and the holothuroid Parastichopus parvimensis. Using whole mount immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy, we found that the nervous system of echinoid early juveniles is composed of three main structures: a basiepidermal nerve plexus, five radial nerve cords connected by a circumoral nerve ring, and peripheral nerves innervating the appendages. Our whole mount preparations further allowed us to obtain thorough descriptions of these structures and of several innervation patterns, in particular at the level of the appendages. Detailed comparisons of the echinoid juvenile nervous system with those of asteroid and holothuroid juveniles moreover supported a general conservation of the main neural structures in all three species, including at the level of the appendages. Our results support the previously proposed hypotheses for the existence of two neural units in echinoderms: one consisting of the basiepidermal nerve plexus to process sensory stimuli locally and one composed of the radial nerve cords and the peripheral nerves constituting a centralized control system. This study provides the basis for more in-depth comparisons of the echinoderm adult nervous system with those of other animals, in particular hemichordates and chordates, to address the long-standing controversies about deuterostome nervous system evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Formery
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), Evolution of Intracellular Signaling in Development (EvoInSiDe), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - François Orange
- Centre Commun de Microscopie Appliquée (CCMA), Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | | | - Shunsuke Yaguchi
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Christopher J Lowe
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, USA
| | - Michael Schubert
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), Evolution of Intracellular Signaling in Development (EvoInSiDe), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Jenifer C Croce
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), Evolution of Intracellular Signaling in Development (EvoInSiDe), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
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5
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Zullo L, Bozzo M, Daya A, Di Clemente A, Mancini FP, Megighian A, Nesher N, Röttinger E, Shomrat T, Tiozzo S, Zullo A, Candiani S. The Diversity of Muscles and Their Regenerative Potential across Animals. Cells 2020; 9:cells9091925. [PMID: 32825163 PMCID: PMC7563492 DOI: 10.3390/cells9091925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cells with contractile functions are present in almost all metazoans, and so are the related processes of muscle homeostasis and regeneration. Regeneration itself is a complex process unevenly spread across metazoans that ranges from full-body regeneration to partial reconstruction of damaged organs or body tissues, including muscles. The cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in regenerative processes can be homologous, co-opted, and/or evolved independently. By comparing the mechanisms of muscle homeostasis and regeneration throughout the diversity of animal body-plans and life cycles, it is possible to identify conserved and divergent cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying muscle plasticity. In this review we aim at providing an overview of muscle regeneration studies in metazoans, highlighting the major regenerative strategies and molecular pathways involved. By gathering these findings, we wish to advocate a comparative and evolutionary approach to prompt a wider use of “non-canonical” animal models for molecular and even pharmacological studies in the field of muscle regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Zullo
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Micro-BioRobotics & Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology (NSYN), 16132 Genova, Italy;
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (A.Z.)
| | - Matteo Bozzo
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV 5, 16132 Genova, Italy; (M.B.); (S.C.)
| | - Alon Daya
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 40297, Israel; (A.D.); (N.N.); (T.S.)
| | - Alessio Di Clemente
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Micro-BioRobotics & Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology (NSYN), 16132 Genova, Italy;
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | | | - Aram Megighian
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy;
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Nir Nesher
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 40297, Israel; (A.D.); (N.N.); (T.S.)
| | - Eric Röttinger
- Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging (IRCAN), Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, INSERM, 06107 Nice, France;
| | - Tal Shomrat
- Faculty of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 40297, Israel; (A.D.); (N.N.); (T.S.)
| | - Stefano Tiozzo
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement de Villefranche-sur-Mer (LBDV), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 06230 Paris, France;
| | - Alberto Zullo
- Department of Science and Technology, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy;
- Correspondence: (L.Z.); (A.Z.)
| | - Simona Candiani
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genova, Viale Benedetto XV 5, 16132 Genova, Italy; (M.B.); (S.C.)
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Lin JP, Tsai MH, Kroh A, Trautman A, Machado DJ, Chang LY, Reid R, Lin KT, Bronstein O, Lee SJ, Janies D. The first complete mitochondrial genome of the sand dollar Sinaechinocyamus mai (Echinoidea: Clypeasteroida). Genomics 2020; 112:1686-1693. [PMID: 31629878 PMCID: PMC7032948 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2019.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Morphologic and molecular data often lead to different hypotheses of phylogenetic relationships. Such incongruence has been found in the echinoderm class Echinoidea. In particular, the phylogenetic status of the order Clypeasteroida is not well resolved. Complete mitochondrial genomes are currently available for 29 echinoid species, but no clypeasteroid had been sequenced to date. DNA extracted from a single live individual of Sinaechinocyamus mai was sequenced with 10× Genomics technology. This first complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) for the order Clypeasteroida is 15,756 base pairs in length. Phylogenomic analysis based on 34 ingroup taxa belonging to nine orders of the class Echinoidea show congruence between our new genetic inference and published trees based on morphologic characters, but also includes some intriguing differences that imply the need for additional investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jih-Pai Lin
- Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Mong-Hsun Tsai
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Andreas Kroh
- Department of Geology and Palaeontology, Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Aaron Trautman
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA
| | - Denis Jacob Machado
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA; Bioinformatics Graduate Program, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lo-Yu Chang
- Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Robert Reid
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA
| | - Kuan-Ting Lin
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Omri Bronstein
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel; Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Shyh-Jye Lee
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Research Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Daniel Janies
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA
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8
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Savriama Y, Gerber S. Geometric morphometrics of nested symmetries unravels hierarchical inter- and intra-individual variation in biological shapes. Sci Rep 2018. [PMID: 30575747 DOI: 10.1101/306712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Symmetry is a pervasive feature of organismal shape and the focus of a large body of research in Biology. Here, we consider complex patterns of symmetry where a phenotype exhibits a hierarchically structured combination of symmetries. We extend the Procrustes ANOVA for the analysis of nested symmetries and the decomposition of the overall morphological variation into components of symmetry (among-individual variation) and asymmetry (directional and fluctuating asymmetry). We illustrate its use with the Aristotle's lantern, the masticatory apparatus of 'regular' sea urchins, a complex organ displaying bilateral symmetry nested within five-fold rotational symmetry. Our results highlight the importance of characterising the full symmetry of a structure with nested symmetries. Higher order rotational symmetry appears strongly constrained and developmentally stable compared to lower level bilateral symmetry. This contrast between higher and lower levels of asymmetry is discussed in relation to the spatial pattern of the lantern morphogenesis. This extended framework is applicable to any biological object exhibiting nested symmetries, regardless of their type (e.g., bilateral, rotational, translational). Such cases are extremely widespread in animals and plants, from arthropod segmentation to angiosperm inflorescence and corolla shape. The method therefore widens the research scope on developmental instability, canalization, developmental modularity and morphological integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoland Savriama
- Institute of Biotechnology, PO Box 56 (Viikinkaari 5), FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Sylvain Gerber
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, CP 50, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France.
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9
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Geometric morphometrics of nested symmetries unravels hierarchical inter- and intra-individual variation in biological shapes. Sci Rep 2018; 8:18055. [PMID: 30575747 PMCID: PMC6303334 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36147-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Symmetry is a pervasive feature of organismal shape and the focus of a large body of research in Biology. Here, we consider complex patterns of symmetry where a phenotype exhibits a hierarchically structured combination of symmetries. We extend the Procrustes ANOVA for the analysis of nested symmetries and the decomposition of the overall morphological variation into components of symmetry (among-individual variation) and asymmetry (directional and fluctuating asymmetry). We illustrate its use with the Aristotle’s lantern, the masticatory apparatus of ‘regular’ sea urchins, a complex organ displaying bilateral symmetry nested within five-fold rotational symmetry. Our results highlight the importance of characterising the full symmetry of a structure with nested symmetries. Higher order rotational symmetry appears strongly constrained and developmentally stable compared to lower level bilateral symmetry. This contrast between higher and lower levels of asymmetry is discussed in relation to the spatial pattern of the lantern morphogenesis. This extended framework is applicable to any biological object exhibiting nested symmetries, regardless of their type (e.g., bilateral, rotational, translational). Such cases are extremely widespread in animals and plants, from arthropod segmentation to angiosperm inflorescence and corolla shape. The method therefore widens the research scope on developmental instability, canalization, developmental modularity and morphological integration.
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Fadl AEA, Mahfouz ME, El-Gamal MMT, Heyland A. Onset of feeding in juvenile sea urchins and its relation to nutrient signalling. INVERTEBR REPROD DEV 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/07924259.2018.1513873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alyaa Elsaid Abdelaziz Fadl
- Department of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Biological science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Kafrelsheikh, Kafr Elsheikh, Egypt
| | - Magdy Elsayed Mahfouz
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Kafrelsheikh, Kafr Elsheikh, Egypt
| | | | - Andreas Heyland
- Department of Integrative Biology, Faculty of Biological science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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11
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Bodnar AG, Coffman JA. Maintenance of somatic tissue regeneration with age in short- and long-lived species of sea urchins. Aging Cell 2016; 15:778-87. [PMID: 27095483 PMCID: PMC4933669 DOI: 10.1111/acel.12487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging in many animals is characterized by a failure to maintain tissue homeostasis and the loss of regenerative capacity. In this study, the ability to maintain tissue homeostasis and regenerative potential was investigated in sea urchins, a novel model to study longevity and negligible senescence. Sea urchins grow indeterminately, regenerate damaged appendages and reproduce throughout their lifespan and yet different species are reported to have very different life expectancies (ranging from 4 to more than 100 years). Quantitative analyses of cell proliferation and apoptosis indicated a low level of cell turnover in tissues of young and old sea urchins of species with different lifespans (Lytechinus variegatus, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus and Mesocentrotus franciscanus). The ability to regenerate damaged tissue was maintained with age as assessed by the regrowth of amputated spines and tube feet (motor and sensory appendages). Expression of genes involved in cell proliferation (pcna), telomere maintenance (tert) and multipotency (seawi and vasa) was maintained with age in somatic tissues. Immunolocalization of the Vasa protein to areas of the tube feet, spines, radial nerve, esophagus and a sub-population of circulating coelomocytes suggests the presence of multipotent cells that may play a role in normal tissue homeostasis and the regenerative potential of external appendages. The results indicate that regenerative potential was maintained with age regardless of lifespan, contrary to the expectation that shorter lived species would invest less in maintenance and repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea G. Bodnar
- Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences 17 Biological Station St. George's GE01 Bermuda
| | - James A. Coffman
- MDI Biological Laboratory 159 Old Bar Harbor Road Salisbury Cove ME 04672 USA
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12
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Gao F, Thompson JR, Petsios E, Erkenbrack E, Moats RA, Bottjer DJ, Davidson EH. Juvenile skeletogenesis in anciently diverged sea urchin clades. Dev Biol 2015; 400:148-58. [PMID: 25641694 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2015.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Mechanistic understanding of evolutionary divergence in animal body plans devolves from analysis of those developmental processes that, in forms descendant from a common ancestor, are responsible for their morphological differences. The last common ancestor of the two extant subclasses of sea urchins, i.e., euechinoids and cidaroids, existed well before the Permian/Triassic extinction (252 mya). Subsequent evolutionary divergence of these clades offers in principle a rare opportunity to solve the developmental regulatory events underlying a defined evolutionary divergence process. Thus (i) there is an excellent and fairly dense (if yet incompletely analyzed) fossil record; (ii) cladistically confined features of the skeletal structures of modern euechinoid and cidaroid sea urchins are preserved in fossils of ancestral forms; (iii) euechinoids and cidaroids are among current laboratory model systems in molecular developmental biology (here Strongylocentrotus purpuratus [Sp] and Eucidaris tribuloides [Et]); (iv) skeletogenic specification in sea urchins is uncommonly well understood at the causal level of interactions of regulatory genes with one another, and with known skeletogenic effector genes, providing a ready arsenal of available molecular tools. Here we focus on differences in test and perignathic girdle skeletal morphology that distinguish all modern euechinoid from all modern cidaroid sea urchins. We demonstrate distinct canonical test and girdle morphologies in juveniles of both species by use of SEM and X-ray microtomography. Among the sharply distinct morphological features of these clades are the internal skeletal structures of the perignathic girdle to which attach homologous muscles utilized for retraction and protraction of Aristotles׳ lantern and its teeth. We demonstrate that these structures develop de novo between one and four weeks after metamorphosis. In order to study the underlying developmental processes, a method of section whole mount in situ hybridization was adapted. This method displays current gene expression in the developing test and perignathic girdle skeletal elements of both Sp and Et juveniles. Active, specific expression of the sm37 biomineralization gene in these muscle attachment structures accompanies morphogenetic development of these clade-specific features in juveniles of both species. Skeletogenesis at these clade-specific muscle attachment structures displays molecular earmarks of the well understood embryonic skeletogenic GRN: thus the upstream regulatory gene alx1 and the gene encoding the vegfR signaling receptor are both expressed at the sites where they are formed. This work opens the way to analysis of the alternative spatial specification processes that were installed at the evolutionary divergence of the two extant subclasses of sea urchins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Gao
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
| | - Jeffrey R Thompson
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States
| | - Elizabeth Petsios
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States
| | - Eric Erkenbrack
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States
| | - Rex A Moats
- Translational Biomedical Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, The Saban Research Institute, Children׳s Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine USC, Los Angeles, CA 90027, United States
| | - David J Bottjer
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States
| | - Eric H Davidson
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, United States.
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Ziegler A, Faber C, Mueller S, Nagelmann N, Schröder L. A dataset comprising 141 magnetic resonance imaging scans of 98 extant sea urchin species. Gigascience 2014; 3:21. [PMID: 25356198 PMCID: PMC4212584 DOI: 10.1186/2047-217x-3-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Apart from its application in human diagnostics, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can also be used to study the internal anatomy of zoological specimens. As a non-invasive imaging technique, MRI has several advantages, such as rapid data acquisition, output of true three-dimensional imagery, and provision of digital data right from the onset of a study. Of particular importance for comparative zoological studies is the capacity of MRI to conduct high-throughput analyses of multiple specimens. In this study, MRI was applied to systematically document the internal anatomy of 98 representative species of sea urchins (Echinodermata: Echinoidea). FINDINGS The dataset includes raw and derived image data from 141 MRI scans. Most of the whole sea urchin specimens analyzed were obtained from museum collections. The attained scan resolutions permit differentiation of various internal organs, including the digestive tract, reproductive system, coelomic compartments, and lantern musculature. All data deposited in the GigaDB repository can be accessed using open source software. Potential uses of the dataset include interactive exploration of sea urchin anatomy, morphometric and volumetric analyses of internal organs observed in their natural context, as well as correlation of hard and soft tissue structures. CONCLUSIONS The dataset covers a broad taxonomical and morphological spectrum of the Echinoidea, focusing on 'regular' sea urchin taxa. The deposited files significantly expand the amount of morphological data on echinoids that are electronically available. The approach chosen here can be extended to various other vertebrate and invertebrate taxa. We argue that publicly available digital anatomical and morphological data gathered during experiments involving non-invasive imaging techniques constitute one of the prerequisites for future large-scale genotype-phenotype correlations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cornelius Faber
- Institut für Klinische Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Susanne Mueller
- Centrum für Schlaganfallforschung, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nina Nagelmann
- Institut für Klinische Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Leif Schröder
- Molecular Imaging Group, Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
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14
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Richter
- Allgemeine & Spezielle Zoologie; Institut für Biowissenschaften; Universität Rostock; Rostock Germany
| | - Christian S. Wirkner
- Allgemeine & Spezielle Zoologie; Institut für Biowissenschaften; Universität Rostock; Rostock Germany
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