PUBLICATION

Gravin regulates mesodermal cell behavior changes required for axis elongation during zebrafish gastrulation

Authors
Weiser, D.C., Pyati, U.J., and Kimelman, D.
ID
ZDB-PUB-070629-13
Date
2007
Source
Genes & Development   21(12): 1559-1571 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Kimelman, David, Pyati, Ujwal, Weiser, Douglas C.
Keywords
AKAP, convergence and extension, gastrulation, Gravin, Rho, zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Cell Movement
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein/metabolism
  • Gastrula/cytology
  • RNA, Messenger/genetics
  • RNA, Messenger/metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Cell Shape
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Base Sequence
  • A Kinase Anchor Proteins/genetics
  • A Kinase Anchor Proteins/physiology*
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish/physiology
  • Myosin Type II/metabolism
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Proteins/genetics
  • Proteins/physiology*
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Mesoderm/cytology
  • Body Patterning
  • Animals
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/physiology*
PubMed
17575056 Full text @ Genes & Dev.
Abstract
Convergent extension of the mesoderm is the major driving force of vertebrate gastrulation. During this process, mesodermal cells move toward the future dorsal side of the embryo, then radically change behavior as they initiate extension of the body axis. How cells make this transition in behavior is unknown. We have identified the scaffolding protein and tumor suppressor Gravin as a key regulator of this process in zebrafish embryos. We show that Gravin is required for the conversion of mesodermal cells from a highly migratory behavior to the medio-laterally intercalative behavior required for body axis extension. In the absence of Gravin, paraxial mesodermal cells fail to shut down the protrusive activity mediated by the Rho/ROCK/Myosin II pathway, resulting in embryos with severe extension defects. We propose that Gravin functions as an essential scaffold for regulatory proteins that suppress the migratory behavior of the mesoderm during gastrulation, and suggest that this function also explains how Gravin inhibits invasive behaviors in metastatic cells.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping