An axial Hox code controls tissue segmentation and body patterning in Nematostella vectensis

Hox genes encode conserved developmental transcription factors that govern anterior-posterior (A-P) pattering in diverse bilaterian animals, which display bilateral symmetry. Although Hox genes are also present within Cnidaria, these simple animals lack a definitive A-P axis, leaving it unclear how...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2018-09, Vol.361 (6409), p.1377-1380
Main Authors: He, Shuonan, Del Viso, Florencia, Chen, Cheng-Yi, Ikmi, Aissam, Kroesen, Amanda E, Gibson, Matthew C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological evolution
CRISPR
Endoderm
Genes
Homeobox
HOX gene
Morphogenesis
Mutagenesis
Nematostella vectensis
Pattern formation
Polyps (organisms)
Ribonucleic acid
RNA
Segmentation
Tentacles
Transcription factors
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Hox genes encode conserved developmental transcription factors that govern anterior-posterior (A-P) pattering in diverse bilaterian animals, which display bilateral symmetry. Although Hox genes are also present within Cnidaria, these simple animals lack a definitive A-P axis, leaving it unclear how and when a functionally integrated Hox code arose during evolution. We used short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown and CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis to demonstrate that a Hox-Gbx network controls radial segmentation of the larval endoderm during development of the sea anemone Loss of Hox-Gbx activity also elicits marked defects in tentacle patterning along the directive (orthogonal) axis of primary polyps. On the basis of our results, we propose that an axial Hox code may have controlled body patterning and tissue segmentation before the evolution of the bilaterian A-P axis.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.aar8384