title: Sonic hedgehog is not required for polarising activity in the Doublefoot mutant mouse limb bud.
abstract: The mouse mutant Doublefoot (Dbf) shows preaxial polydactyly of all four limbs. We have analysed limb development in this mutant with respect to morphogenesis, gene expression patterns and ectopic polarising activity. The results reveal a gain-of-function mutation at a locus that mediates pattern formation in the developing limb. Shh expression is identical with that of wild-type embryos, i.e. there is no ectopic expression. However, mesenchyme from the anterior aspects of Dbf/+ mutant limb buds, when transplanted to the anterior side of chick wing buds, induces duplication of the distal skeletal elements. Mid-distal mesenchymal transplants from early, but not later, Dbf/+ limb buds are also able to induce duplication. This demonstration of polarising activity in the absence of Shh expression identifies the gene at the Dbf locus as a new genetic component of the Shh signalling pathway, which (at least in its mutated form) is able to activate signal transduction independently of Shh. The mutant gene product is sufficient to fulfil the signalling properties of Shh including upregulation of the direct Shh target genes Ptc and Gli, and induction of the downstream target genes Bmp2, Fgf4 and Hoxd13. The expression domains of all these genes extend from their normal posterior domains into the anterior part of the limb bud without being focused on a discrete ectopic site. These observations dissociate polarising activity from Shh gene expression in the Dbf/+ limb bud. We suggest that the product of the normal Dbf gene is a key active constituent of the polarising region, possibly acting in the extracellular compartment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy, University of Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Lyon
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Morriss-Kay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002642:Chick Embryo; D051519:Fibroblast Growth Factor 4; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018878:Limb Buds / Q000196:embryology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000502:physiology* / Q000637:transplantation; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology*; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D000072079:Patched Receptors; D000072081:Patched-1 Receptor; D017689:Polydactyly / Q000196:embryology; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1
chemical_list: C525719:Bmp2 protein, mouse; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; C496446:Fgf4 protein, mouse; D051519:Fibroblast Growth Factor 4; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C084118:Hoxd13 protein, mouse; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D000072079:Patched Receptors; D000072081:Patched-1 Receptor; D011506:Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C000606240:Ptch1 protein, mouse; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors