title: Β-catenin-dependent control of positional information along the AP body axis in planarians involves a teashirt family member.
abstract: Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates tissue homeostasis and regeneration in metazoans. In planarians-flatworms with high regenerative potential-Wnt ligands are thought to control tissue polarity by shaping a β-catenin activity gradient along the anterior-posterior axis, yet the downstream mechanisms are poorly understood. We performed an RNA sequencing (RNA-seq)-based screen and identified hundreds of β-catenin-dependent transcripts, of which several were expressed in muscle tissue and stem cells in a graded fashion. In particular, a teashirt (tsh) ortholog was induced in a β-catenin-dependent manner during regeneration in planarians and zebrafish, and RNAi resulted in two-headed planarians. Strikingly, intact planarians depleted of tsh induced anterior markers and slowly transformed their tail into a head, reminiscent of β-catenin RNAi phenotypes. Given that β-catenin RNAi enhanced the formation of muscle cells expressing anterior determinants in tail regions, our study suggests that this pathway controls tissue polarity through regulating the identity of differentiating cells during homeostasis and regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Research Group for Stem Cells and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Von-Esmarch-Strasse 54, 48149 Münster, Germany; Medical Faculty, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany; CiM-IMPRS Graduate School, Schlossplatz 5, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reuter
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Research Group for Stem Cells and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Von-Esmarch-Strasse 54, 48149 Münster, Germany; Medical Faculty, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: März
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Research Group for Stem Cells and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Von-Esmarch-Strasse 54, 48149 Münster, Germany; Medical Faculty, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Vogg
authors.affiliation: Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Victoria University, Kelburn Parade, Wellington 6242, New Zealand.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eccles
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Research Group for Stem Cells and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Von-Esmarch-Strasse 54, 48149 Münster, Germany; Department of Genetics and Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grífol-Boldú
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wehner
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Research Group for Stem Cells and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Von-Esmarch-Strasse 54, 48149 Münster, Germany; Medical Faculty, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany; CiM-IMPRS Graduate School, Schlossplatz 5, 48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Suthira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Owlarn
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Adell
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weidinger
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Research Group for Stem Cells and Regeneration, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Von-Esmarch-Strasse 54, 48149 Münster, Germany; Medical Faculty, University of Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149 Münster, Germany. Electronic address: kerstin.bartscherer@mpi-muenster.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bartscherer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000502:physiology*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010932:Planarians; D034622:RNA Interference; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism; D012038:Regeneration; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D059467:Transcriptome; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway; D015027:Zebrafish; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; D003094:Collagen