Abstract
β-catenin is a transcriptional cofactor mediating the "canonical" Wnt signaling pathway, which activates target genes in a complex with TCF (LEF) transcription factors [1]. In many metazoans, embryos are first subdivided during early cleavage stages into nuclear β-catenin- positive and -negative domains, with β-catenin specifying endoderm or mesendoderm fate. This process has been demonstrated in a wide range of phyla including cnidarians, nemerteans, and invertebrate deuterostomes (echinoderms, hemichordates, and ascidians), implying that β-catenin-dependent (mes)endoderm specification is evolutionarily ancient [2-10]. However, the mechanisms leading to the segregation of mesoderm and endoderm fates from a transient mesendodermal state are less well defined. We show that subdivision of the ascidian embryo into the three germ layers involves differential nuclear β-catenin activity coupled with the first two animal-vegetal (A-V)-oriented cell divisions. We reveal that each of these A-V divisions operates as a binary fate choice: the first between ectoderm and mesendoderm and the second between margin (notochord and neural) and endoderm, such that a β-catenin activation sequence of ON-to-ON specifies endoderm, OFF-to-OFF ectoderm, and ON-to-OFF margin.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 491-495 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Current Biology |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 Mar 18 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
Cite this
β-catenin-driven binary fate specification segregates germ layers in ascidian embryos. / Hudson, Clare; Kawai, Narudo; Negishi, Takefumi; Yasuo, Hitoyoshi.
In: Current Biology, Vol. 23, No. 6, 18.03.2013, p. 491-495.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - β-catenin-driven binary fate specification segregates germ layers in ascidian embryos
AU - Hudson, Clare
AU - Kawai, Narudo
AU - Negishi, Takefumi
AU - Yasuo, Hitoyoshi
PY - 2013/3/18
Y1 - 2013/3/18
N2 - β-catenin is a transcriptional cofactor mediating the "canonical" Wnt signaling pathway, which activates target genes in a complex with TCF (LEF) transcription factors [1]. In many metazoans, embryos are first subdivided during early cleavage stages into nuclear β-catenin- positive and -negative domains, with β-catenin specifying endoderm or mesendoderm fate. This process has been demonstrated in a wide range of phyla including cnidarians, nemerteans, and invertebrate deuterostomes (echinoderms, hemichordates, and ascidians), implying that β-catenin-dependent (mes)endoderm specification is evolutionarily ancient [2-10]. However, the mechanisms leading to the segregation of mesoderm and endoderm fates from a transient mesendodermal state are less well defined. We show that subdivision of the ascidian embryo into the three germ layers involves differential nuclear β-catenin activity coupled with the first two animal-vegetal (A-V)-oriented cell divisions. We reveal that each of these A-V divisions operates as a binary fate choice: the first between ectoderm and mesendoderm and the second between margin (notochord and neural) and endoderm, such that a β-catenin activation sequence of ON-to-ON specifies endoderm, OFF-to-OFF ectoderm, and ON-to-OFF margin.
AB - β-catenin is a transcriptional cofactor mediating the "canonical" Wnt signaling pathway, which activates target genes in a complex with TCF (LEF) transcription factors [1]. In many metazoans, embryos are first subdivided during early cleavage stages into nuclear β-catenin- positive and -negative domains, with β-catenin specifying endoderm or mesendoderm fate. This process has been demonstrated in a wide range of phyla including cnidarians, nemerteans, and invertebrate deuterostomes (echinoderms, hemichordates, and ascidians), implying that β-catenin-dependent (mes)endoderm specification is evolutionarily ancient [2-10]. However, the mechanisms leading to the segregation of mesoderm and endoderm fates from a transient mesendodermal state are less well defined. We show that subdivision of the ascidian embryo into the three germ layers involves differential nuclear β-catenin activity coupled with the first two animal-vegetal (A-V)-oriented cell divisions. We reveal that each of these A-V divisions operates as a binary fate choice: the first between ectoderm and mesendoderm and the second between margin (notochord and neural) and endoderm, such that a β-catenin activation sequence of ON-to-ON specifies endoderm, OFF-to-OFF ectoderm, and ON-to-OFF margin.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84875244412&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cub.2013.02.005
DO - 10.1016/j.cub.2013.02.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 23453950
AN - SCOPUS:84875244412
VL - 23
SP - 491
EP - 495
JO - Current Biology
JF - Current Biology
SN - 0960-9822
IS - 6
ER -