Abstract
The role of compartmentalized signaling in primary cilia during tissue morphogenesis is not well understood. The cilia localized G protein-coupled receptor, Gpr161, represses hedgehog pathway via cAMP signaling. We engineered a knock-in at the Gpr161 locus in mice to generate a variant (Gpr161mut1), which was ciliary localization defective but cAMP signaling competent. Tissue phenotypes from hedgehog signaling depend on downstream bifunctional Gli transcriptional factors functioning as activators or repressors. Compared to knockout (ko), Gpr161mut1/ko had delayed embryonic lethality, moderately increased hedgehog targets, and partially down-regulated Gli3 repressor. Unlike ko, the Gpr161mut1/ko neural tube did not show Gli2 activator-dependent expansion of ventral-most progenitors. Instead, the intermediate neural tube showed progenitor expansion that depends on loss of Gli3 repressor. Increased extraciliary receptor levels in Gpr161mut1/mut1 prevented ventralization. Morphogenesis in limb buds and midface requires Gli repressor; these tissues in Gpr161mut1/mut1 manifested hedgehog hyperactivation phenotypes-polydactyly and midfacial widening. Thus, ciliary and extraciliary Gpr161 pools likely establish tissue-specific Gli repressor thresholds in determining morpho-phenotypic outcomes.
Highlights
The primary cilium is a paradigmatic organelle for studying compartmentalized cellular signaling in morphogenesis and disease (Anvarian et al, 2019; Nachury and Mick, 2019)
We previously described that the cilia-localized orphan G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), Gpr161 functions as a negative regulator of Hh signaling during early neural tube development in mice (Mukhopadhyay et al, 2013)
Our findings suggest that ciliary Gpr161 pools prevent Hh pathway hyperactivation phenotypes likely from Gli2/3 repressor (GliR) lack but not from Gli transcriptional activator (GliA) generation
Summary
The primary cilium is a paradigmatic organelle for studying compartmentalized cellular signaling in morphogenesis and disease (Anvarian et al, 2019; Nachury and Mick, 2019). Dysfunction of the primary cilium has been implicated in diseases affecting diverse tissues, collectively termed ‘ciliopathies’ (Reiter and Leroux, 2017). The mechanisms by which cilia-specific signals are maintained and propagated to direct downstream pathways during morphogenesis is not well understood. Non-ciliary signaling by cilia localized proteins can be a confounding factor in understanding how signaling at and by cilia contributes to tissue phenotypes. Decoding the features of signaling unique to the primary cilium in directing downstream cellular pathways is necessary for understanding the pathogenesis of diseases caused by ciliary dysfunction
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