title: Molecular signatures of the three stem cell lineages in hydra and the emergence of stem cell function at the base of multicellularity.
abstract: How distinct stem cell populations originate and whether there is a clear stem cell "genetic signature" remain poorly understood. Understanding the evolution of stem cells requires molecular profiling of stem cells in an animal at a basal phylogenetic position. In this study, using transgenic Hydra polyps, we reveal for each of the three stem cell populations a specific signature set of transcriptions factors and of genes playing key roles in cell type-specific function and interlineage communication. Our data show that principal functions of stem cell genes, such as maintenance of stemness and control of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, arose very early in metazoan evolution. They are corroborating the view that stem cell types shared common, multifunctional ancestors, which achieved complexity through a stepwise segregation of function in daughter cells.
authors.affiliation: Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hemmrich
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khalturin
authors.forename: Anna-Marei
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Boehm
authors.forename: Malte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puchert
authors.forename: Friederike
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anton-Erxleben
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wittlieb
authors.forename: Ulrich C
authors.initials: UC
authors.lastname: Klostermeier
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosenstiel
authors.forename: Hans-Heinrich
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Oberg
authors.forename: Tomislav
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Domazet-Loso
authors.forename: Toshimi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niwa
authors.forename: Thomas C G
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Bosch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics*; D002469:Cell Separation; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006829:Hydra / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D010802:Phylogeny; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors