Head and trunk in zebrafish arise via coinhibition of BMP signaling by bozozok and chordino.
Spatial variations in the levels of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling are a critical determinant of dorsoanterior-ventroposterior pattern in vertebrate embryos. Whereas BMP overexpression abolishes both head and trunk development, known single and double loss-of-function mutations in BMP inhibitors have less dramatic effects. We report that combining mutations in the zebrafish genes bozozok and chordino causes a synergistic loss of head and trunk, whereas most cells express ventro-posterior markers and develop into a tail. Genetic inactivation of BMP signaling fully suppresses these defects. Thus, a remarkably simple genetic mechanism, involving a coinhibition of BMP function by the partially overlapping bozozok and chordino pathways is used to specify vertebrate head and trunk.
Gonzalez
E M
EM
Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA.
Fekany-Lee
K
K
Carmany-Rampey
A
A
Erter
C
C
Topczewski
J
J
Wright
C V
CV
Solnica-Krezel
L
L
D000818:Animals; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D005136:Eye Proteins; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006257:Head / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000473:pathology; D009154:Mutation; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013623:Tail / Q000196:embryology; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics*; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D000097607:Homeobox Protein SIX3
D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D000097607:Homeobox Protein SIX3; C405936:bmp2b protein, zebrafish; C525813:bmp4 protein, zebrafish; C113874:dharma protein, zebrafish