The evolution of vertebrate gastrulation.
The availability of molecular markers now permits the analysis of the common elements of vertebrate gastrulation. While gastrulation appears to be very diverse in the vertebrates, by analyzing a head-organizer marker, goosecoid, and a marker common to all forming mesoderm, Brachyury, we attempt to identify homologous structures and equivalent stages in Xenopus, zebrafish, chick and mouse gastrulation. Using a tail-organizer marker, Xnot-2, we also discuss how the late stages of gastrulation lead to the formation of the postanal tail, a structure characteristic of the chordates.
De Robertis
E M
EM
Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles 90024-1737, USA.
Fainsod
A
A
Gont
L K
LK
Steinbeisser
H
H
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004627:Embryonic Induction / Q000235:genetics*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000235:genetics; D005326:Fetal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005775:Gastrula / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D005819:Genetic Markers; D051956:Goosecoid Protein; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D013623:Tail / Q000196:embryology; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D014981:Xenopus / Q000235:genetics; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D000098908:Brachyury Protein
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005326:Fetal Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; D051956:Goosecoid Protein; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D000098908:Brachyury Protein; C497993:Gsc protein, mouse; C497995:gsc protein, zebrafish