Interfering with Wnt signalling alters the periodicity of the segmentation clock.
Somites are embryonic precursors of the ribs, vertebrae and certain dermis tissue. Somite formation is a periodic process regulated by a molecular clock which drives cyclic expression of a number of clock genes in the presomitic mesoderm. To date the mechanism regulating the period of clock gene oscillations is unknown. Here we show that chick homologues of the Wnt pathway genes that oscillate in mouse do not cycle across the chick presomitic mesoderm. Strikingly we find that modifying Wnt signalling changes the period of Notch driven oscillations in both mouse and chick but these oscillations continue. We propose that the Wnt pathway is a conserved mechanism that is involved in regulating the period of cyclic gene oscillations in the presomitic mesoderm.
Gibb
Sarah
S
Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, Scotland, UK.
Zagorska
Anna
A
Melton
Kristin
K
Tenin
Gennady
G
Vacca
Irene
I
Trainor
Paul
P
Maroto
Miguel
M
Dale
J Kim
JK
D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000502:physiology*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019170:Somites / Q000378:metabolism; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D051880:Receptors, Notch; D051153:Wnt Proteins