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Published on: February 16, 2017
Transphyletic conservation of developmental regulatory state in animal evolution
José Luis Royo1, Ignacio Maeso, Manuel Irimia
1Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas - Universidad Pablo de Olavide, E-41013 Sevilla, Spain.
Summary
A conserved DNA sequence regulating the SRY-box B2 (soxB2) gene shows deep evolutionary conservation across animal development. This regulatory element responds to states associated with neuronal differentiation, highlighting its role in neurogenesis and central nervous system evolution.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Cellular identity in animal development is determined by specific regulatory states, defined by transcription factor sets.
- Conserved cis-regulatory DNA modules play crucial roles in orchestrating gene expression during development.
- The SRY-box B2 (soxB2) gene is involved in developmental processes, and its regulatory elements offer insights into evolutionary conservation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional significance of a deeply conserved cis-regulatory DNA module of the SRY-box B2 (soxB2) gene across diverse animal phyla.
- To determine the ancestral function of this conserved module and its role in developmental regulatory states.
- To explore how this regulatory module has been redeployed during the evolution of complex nervous systems.
Main Methods:
- Sequence analysis to identify conserved cis-regulatory DNA modules across phyla.
- Transphyletic cis-regulatory DNA transfer experiments using expression constructs.
- Functional assays in diverse developing animal models, including cnidarians, Drosophila, sea urchins, fish, and mammals.
Main Results:
- The SRY-box B2 (soxB2) cis-regulatory module is recognizable at the sequence level from cnidarians to mammals.
- Transphyletic DNA transfer experiments revealed a conserved function related to neuronal differentiation.
- The module's regulatory state is utilized at various neurogenic levels, including vertebrate forebrain patterning and Drosophila neurogenesis.
Conclusions:
- A deeply conserved cis-regulatory module for SRY-box B2 (soxB2) demonstrates functional conservation across a wide range of animal phyla.
- The ancestral function of this module was likely to respond to regulatory states associated with neuronal differentiation.
- Evolutionary redeployment of this conserved regulatory element contributed to the development of complex central nervous systems.
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