Fig. 2

Gdf3 is necessary for the expression of Nodal target genes.

(A–K) RNA in situ hybridization of Nodal target gene expression at 30% epiboly. (A–C) lefty1 (lft1) is normally expressed in the margin (A), but is lost in maternal-zygotic gdf3 mutant embryos (MZgdf3, B) and heterozygous embryos derived from maternal homozygotes (Mgdf3, C). (D–F) cyclops (cyc) is normally expressed in the margin (D). Expression of cyc is reduced in MZgdf3 (E) and Mgdf3 (F) embryos. (G–I) goosecoid (gsc) is normally expressed in the dorsal region (G), but is absent in MZgdf3 (H) and Mgdf3 (I) embryos. (J–K) floating head (flh) is normally expressed in the dorsal region (J) but is diminished in MZgdf3 (K) embryos. (L–Q) RNA in situ hybridization of Nodal target gene expression at the shield stage. (L–M) no tail (ntla) is expressed along the margin in WT embryos (L), but is absent from the dorsal end of MZgdf3 embryos (M, arrow). (N, O) axial (axl) is expressed in the dorsal region of WT embryos (N) but absent in MZgdf3 embryos (O). (P, Q) sox17 is expressed in the margin of WT embryos (P) but absent in MZgdf3 embryos (Q). (R–S) Loss of gsc in MZgdf3 embryos (R) can be rescued by injection of 50 pg gdf3 mRNA. All views are animal, with dorsal to the right and ventral to the left,unless otherwise indicated.