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Krox-20 patterns the hindbrain through both cell-autonomous and non cell-autonomous mechanisms
F Giudicelli1, E Taillebourg, P Charnay
1Unité 368 de l'Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Ecole Normale Supérieure, 75230 Paris Cedex 05, France.
Genes & Development
|March 10, 2001
Summary
The Krox-20 gene is crucial for hindbrain development, determining odd-numbered segment identity. Ectopic Krox-20 expression in chick embryos confers these characteristics to even-numbered segments.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
Background:
- The Krox-20 gene encodes a zinc finger transcription factor.
- Previous studies in mice showed Krox-20 is essential for rhombomeres 3 and 5 development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Krox-20 in determining hindbrain segmental identity.
- To determine if Krox-20 expression is sufficient to confer odd-numbered rhombomere characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Ectopic expression of Krox-20 in the developing chick hindbrain using electroporation.
- Analysis of cell-autonomous and non cell-autonomous effects of Krox-20 expression.
Main Results:
- Krox-20 expression conferred odd-numbered rhombomere characteristics to even-numbered segments (r2, r4, r6) in a cell-autonomous manner.
- Evidence for a non cell-autonomous autoactivation mechanism recruiting Krox-20-positive cells.
Conclusions:
- Krox-20 is a major determinant of odd-numbered hindbrain identity.
- Krox-20 regulates multiple steps in hindbrain segmental patterning, including territory segregation and identity conferral.