The larval pharynx of the cephalochordate Branchiostoma (amphioxus) is asymmetrical. The mouth is on the left and endostyle and gill slits are on the right. At the neurula, Nodal and Hedgehog (Hh) expression becomes restricted to the left. To dissect their respective roles in gill slit formation, we inhibited each pathway separately for 20 min at intervals during the neurula stage, before gill slits penetrate, and monitored effects on morphology and expression of pharyngeal markers. The results pinpoint the short interval spanning the gastrula/neurula transition as the critical period for specification and positioning of future gill slits. Thus, reduced Nodal signaling shifts the gill slits ventrally, skews the pharyngeal domains of Hh, Pax1/9, Pax2/5/8, Six1/2, IrxC towards the left and reduces Hh and Tbx1/10 expression in endoderm and mesoderm, respectively. Nodal autoregulates. Decreased Hh signaling does not affect gill slit positions or Hh or Nodal expression but reduces the domain of the Hh target, Gli in the pharyngeal endoderm. Thus, during the neurula, Nodal and Hh cooperate in gill slit development—Hh mediates gill slit formation while Nodal in establishes their left-right position.
Nodal and Hedgehog synergize in gill slit formation during development of the cephalochordate Branchiostoma floridae
Present address: Oki Marine Biological Station, Kamo 194, Okinoshima-cho, Oki, Shimane, Japan, 685-0024
Currently Viewing Accepted Manuscript - Newer Version Available
H. Ono, D. Koop, L. Z. Holland; Nodal and Hedgehog synergize in gill slit formation during development of the cephalochordate Branchiostoma floridae. Development 2018; dev.162586. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.162586
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