title: R-spondin 3 regulates dorsoventral and anteroposterior patterning by antagonizing Wnt/β-catenin signaling in zebrafish embryos.
abstract: The Wnt/β-catenin or canonical Wnt signaling pathway plays fundamental roles in early development and in maintaining adult tissue homeostasis. R-spondin 3 (Rspo3) is a secreted protein that has been implicated in activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling in amphibians and mammals. Here we report that zebrafish Rspo3 plays a negative role in regulating the zygotic Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Zebrafish Rspo3 has a unique domain structure. It contains a third furin-like (FU3) domain. This FU3 is present in other four ray-finned fish species studied but not in elephant shark. In zebrafish, rspo3 mRNA is maternally deposited and has a ubiquitous expression in early embryonic stages. After 12 hpf, its expression becomes tissue-specific. Forced expression of rspo3 promotes dorsoanterior patterning and increases the expression of dorsal and anterior marker genes. Knockdown of rspo3 increases ventral-posterior development and stimulates ventral and posterior marker genes expression. Forced expression of rspo3 abolishes exogenous Wnt3a action and reduces the endogenous Wnt signaling activity. Knockdown of rspo3 results in increased Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity. Further analyses indicate that Rspo3 does not promote maternal Wnt signaling. Human RSPO3 has similar action when tested in zebrafish embryos. These results suggest that Rspo3 regulates dorsoventral and anteroposterior patterning by negatively regulating the zygotic Wnt/β-catenin signaling in zebrafish embryos.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs (Ocean University of China), Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Xiaozhi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs (Ocean University of China), Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs (Ocean University of China), Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Pin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs (Ocean University of China), Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Yumei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs (Ocean University of China), Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs (Ocean University of China), Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs (Ocean University of China), Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Yunzhang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs (Ocean University of China), Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Jianfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America.
authors.forename: Cunming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duan
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D019699:Thrombospondins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000098907:R-Spondins
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D019699:Thrombospondins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C475438:RSPO3 protein, human; D000098907:R-Spondins; C000601990:Rspo3 protein, zebrafish