title: An interacting network of T-box genes directs gene expression and fate in the zebrafish mesoderm.
abstract: T-box genes encode transcription factors that play critical roles in generating the vertebrate body plan. In many developmental fields, multiple T-box genes are expressed in overlapping domains, establishing broad regions in which different combinations of T-box genes are coexpressed. Here we demonstrate that three T-box genes expressed in the zebrafish mesoderm, no tail, spadetail, and tbx6, operate as a network of interacting genes to regulate region-specific gene expression and developmental fate. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function genetic analyses reveal three kinds of interactions among the T-box genes: combinatorial interactions that generate new regulatory functions, additive contributions to common developmental pathways, and competitive antagonism governing downstream gene expression. We propose that T-box genes, like Hox genes, often function within gene networks comprised of related family members.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Goering
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoshijima
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hug
authors.forename: Brent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bisgrove
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kispert
authors.forename: David Jonah
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Grunwald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005326:Fetal Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017570:MyoD Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D015027:Zebrafish; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000098908:Brachyury Protein
chemical_list: D005326:Fetal Proteins; D017570:MyoD Protein; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D000098908:Brachyury Protein; C112539:tbx16 protein, zebrafish