PUBLICATION

A conserved domain of Cfap298 governs left-right symmetry breaking in vertebrates

Authors
Cortez, M., Young, C.B., Little, K.A., Grimes, D.T., Devenport, D., Burdine, R.D.
ID
ZDB-PUB-250916-7
Date
2025
Source
Journal of Cell Science : (Journal)
Registered Authors
Burdine, Rebecca
Keywords
Cfap298, Cilia, Left-right patterning, Mouse, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Zebrafish/embryology
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Body Patterning*/genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Zebrafish Proteins*/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins*/metabolism
  • Mutation
  • Protein Domains
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Animals
  • Cilia/genetics
  • Cilia/metabolism
  • Vertebrates*
  • Conserved Sequence
PubMed
40955177 Full text @ J. Cell Sci.
Abstract
Cfap298 is a highly conserved gene required for ciliary motility and dynein arm assembly, with known roles in Left-Right (LR) patterning in zebrafish and links to human ciliopathies. Here we describe a Cfap298 mutant allele, Cfap298ΔΔS, which selectively disrupts LR axis establishment in mice. Mutant embryos display organ laterality defects and abnormal Nodal, Pitx2, and Lefty1 expression, consistent with an early disruption in LR symmetry breaking. LR asymmetry is established by leftward fluid flow in the node, generated by planar-polarized cilia. Although cfap298 mutations are reported to affect planar polarity, we did not observe changes in cilia position, length, or CELSR1 localization within the node, suggesting that Cfap298ΔΔSfunctions at the level of cilia motility. Accordingly, cilia lining the trachea of Cfap298ΔΔS mutants fail to beat or beat incorrectly. Expression of the Cfap298ΔΔS variant in zebrafish partially rescues body curvature defects but fails to rescue LR defects of cfap298 (kurly) loss-of-function mutants. These results confirm a conserved role for Cfap298 in mammalian LR patterning and identify a novel region of CFAP298 with a conserved and essential role in cilia motility.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping