PUBLICATION

The ancestral role of nodal signalling in breaking L/R symmetry in the vertebrate forebrain

Authors
Lagadec, R., Laguerre, L., Menuet, A., Amara, A., Rocancourt, C., Péricard, P., Godard, B.G., Celina Rodicio, M., Rodriguez-Moldes, I., Mayeur, H., Rougemont, Q., Mazan, S., Boutet, A.
ID
ZDB-PUB-150331-8
Date
2015
Source
Nature communications   6: 6686 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
Cell signalling, Development of the nervous system, Evolutionary genetics, Zoology
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Diencephalon/embryology
  • Diencephalon/metabolism
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors/genetics
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors/metabolism
  • Functional Laterality/genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Homeodomain Proteins/genetics
  • Homeodomain Proteins/metabolism
  • Lampreys/genetics
  • Left-Right Determination Factors/genetics
  • Left-Right Determination Factors/metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nodal Protein/genetics
  • Nodal Protein/metabolism
  • Nodal Signaling Ligands/genetics*
  • Nodal Signaling Ligands/metabolism
  • Petromyzon/genetics*
  • Prosencephalon/embryology*
  • Prosencephalon/metabolism
  • Sharks/genetics*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta/genetics
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism
PubMed
25819227 Full text @ Nat. Commun.
Abstract
Left-right asymmetries in the epithalamic region of the brain are widespread across vertebrates, but their magnitude and laterality varies among species. Whether these differences reflect independent origins of forebrain asymmetries or taxa-specific diversifications of an ancient vertebrate feature remains unknown. Here we show that the catshark Scyliorhinus canicula and the lampreys Petromyzon marinus and Lampetra planeri exhibit conserved molecular asymmetries between the left and right developing habenulae. Long-term pharmacological treatments in these species show that nodal signalling is essential to their generation, rather than their directionality as in teleosts. Moreover, in contrast to zebrafish, habenular left-right differences are observed in the absence of overt asymmetry of the adjacent pineal field. These data support an ancient origin of epithalamic asymmetry, and suggest that a nodal-dependent asymmetry programme operated in the forebrain of ancestral vertebrates before evolving into a variable trait in bony fish.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping