PUBLICATION

Priming, initiation and synchronization of the segmentation clock by deltaD and deltaC

Authors
Mara, A., Schroeder, J., Chalouni, C., and Holley, S.A.
ID
ZDB-PUB-070413-5
Date
2007
Source
Nature cell biology   9(5): 523-530 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Holley, Scott
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Transcription Factors/metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
  • Mutation
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*/drug effects
  • Receptors, Notch/metabolism
  • Membrane Proteins/genetics
  • Membrane Proteins/metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Somites/drug effects
  • Somites/metabolism*
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/metabolism
  • Embryonic Stem Cells/metabolism
  • Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases/antagonists & inhibitors
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases/metabolism
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Dipeptides/pharmacology
  • Cell Movement
  • Biological Clocks*/drug effects
  • Microinjections
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger/metabolism
  • Animals
  • Tissue Culture Techniques
  • In Situ Hybridization
PubMed
17417625 Full text @ Nat. Cell Biol.
Abstract
Zebrafish somitogenesis is governed by a segmentation clock that generates oscillations in expression of several Notch pathway genes, including her1, her7 and deltaC. Using a combination of pharmacological inhibition and Mendelian genetics, we show that DeltaD and DeltaC, two Notch ligands, represent functionally distinct signals within the segmentation clock. Using high-resolution fluorescent in situ hybridization, the oscillations were divided into phases based on eight distinct subcellular patterns of mRNA localization for 140,000 cells. her1, her7 and deltaC expression was examined in wild-type, deltaD(-/-) and deltaC(-/-) embryos. We identified areas within the tailbud where the clock is set up in the progenitor cells (priming), where the clock starts running (initiation), and where the clocks of neighbouring cells are entrained (synchronization). We find that the clocks of motile cells are primed by deltaD in a progenitor zone in the posterior tailbud and that deltaD is required for cells to initiate oscillations on exiting this zone. Oscillations of adjacent cells are synchronized and amplified by deltaC in the posterior presomitic mesoderm as cell movement subsides and cells maintain stable neighbour relationships.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Show all Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping