A complex oscillating network of signaling genes underlies the mouse segmentation clock.
The segmental pattern of the spine is established early in development, when the vertebral precursors, the somites, are rhythmically produced from the presomitic mesoderm. Microarray studies of the mouse presomitic mesoderm transcriptome reveal that the oscillator associated with this process, the segmentation clock, drives the periodic expression of a large network of cyclic genes involved in cell signaling. Mutually exclusive activation of the notch-fibroblast growth factor and Wnt pathways during each cycle suggests that coordinated regulation of these three pathways underlies the clock oscillator.
Dequéant
Mary-Lee
ML
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA.
Glynn
Earl
E
Gaudenz
Karin
K
Wahl
Matthias
M
Chen
Jie
J
Mushegian
Arcady
A
Pourquié
Olivier
O
D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics*; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics; D006822:Hybrid Cells; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D005810:Multigene Family; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*; D019170:Somites / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D051880:Receptors, Notch; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; C498392:Lfng protein, mouse