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BMP signaling coordinates gene expression and cell migration during precardiac mesoderm development.
Lionel Christiaen1, Alberto Stolfi, Michael Levine
1Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Center for Integrative Genomics, Berkeley, CA, USA. lc121@nyu.edu
Developmental Biology
|November 17, 2009
Summary
Cell migration during development is regulated by gene networks. This study reveals how BMP signaling guides precardiac cell migration and gene expression in ascidian embryos, uncovering feedback loops that control cell movement.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Gene regulatory networks orchestrate cell fate and morphogenesis.
- The reciprocal influence of morphogenetic events on gene expression is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of BMP signaling in regulating gene expression during precardiac mesoderm migration.
- To elucidate the interplay between cell migration and gene activation in ascidian embryos.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of BMP signaling pathway components.
- Gene expression profiling of downstream targets during cell migration.
- Temporal analysis of gene regulatory sub-networks in vivo.
Main Results:
- Migrating trunk ventral cells (TVCs) experience increasing BMP signaling.
- A positive feedback loop involving GATAa, Tolloid, and Bmp2/4 promotes migration and signaling.
- NK4 acts as a transcriptional brake, inhibiting Bmp2/4 and Tolloid to halt migration.
Conclusions:
- A dynamic gene regulatory network coordinates cell migration and gene expression.
- BMP signaling intensity dictates the temporal activation of specific genes.
- NK4 plays a crucial role in terminating cell migration through negative feedback.
