title: Specification of the vertebrate eye by a network of eye field transcription factors.
abstract: Several eye-field transcription factors (EFTFs) are expressed in the anterior region of the vertebrate neural plate and are essential for eye formation. The Xenopus EFTFs ET, Rx1, Pax6, Six3, Lhx2, tll and Optx2 are expressed in a dynamic, overlapping pattern in the presumptive eye field. Expression of an EFTF cocktail with Otx2 is sufficient to induce ectopic eyes outside the nervous system at high frequency. Using both cocktail subsets and functional (inductive) analysis of individual EFTFs, we have revealed a genetic network regulating vertebrate eye field specification. Our results support a model of progressive tissue specification in which neural induction then Otx2-driven neural patterning primes the anterior neural plate for eye field formation. Next, the EFTFs form a self-regulating feedback network that specifies the vertebrate eye field. We find striking similarities and differences to the network of homologous Drosophila genes that specify the eye imaginal disc, a finding that is consistent with the idea of a partial evolutionary conservation of eye formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Zuber
authors.forename: Gaia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gestri
authors.forename: Andrea S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Viczian
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barsacchi
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics; D005123:Eye / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051857:Otx Transcription Factors; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000097607:Homeobox Protein SIX3; D000099176:Noggin Protein
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051857:Otx Transcription Factors; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D011506:Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D000097607:Homeobox Protein SIX3; D000099176:Noggin Protein; C489783:LHX2 protein, human; C489784:Lhx2 protein, mouse; C497659:OTX2 protein, human; C497661:Otx2 protein, Xenopus; C000605730:PAX6 protein, human; C000605732:Pax6 protein, mouse; C491945:SIX6 protein, human; C074090:TLL protein, Drosophila; C000622821:six6 protein, Xenopus; C121525:transcription repression factor ET, Xenopus