Abstract
Early patterning of the vertebrate neural plate involves a complex hierarchy of inductive interactions orchestrated by signalling molecules and their antagonists. The morphogen retinoic acid, together with the Cyp26 enzymes which degrade it, play a central role in this process. The cyp26a1 gene expressed in the anterior neural plate thus contributes to the fine modulation of the rostrocaudal retinoic acid gradient. Despite this important role of cyp26a1 in early brain formation, the mechanisms that control its expression in the anterior neural plate are totally unknown. Here, we present the isolation of a 310-base-pair DNA element adjacent to cyp26a1 promoter, displaying enhancer activity restricted to the anterior neural plate of the zebrafish gastrula. We show that unlike that of cyp26a1, expression driven by this cyp26a1 anterior neural plate element (cANE) is independent of retinoic acid. Through deletion analysis, we identify a 12-nucleotide motif essential for cANE activity. A consensus bipartite binding site for SoxB:Oct transcription factors overlaps with this motif. Mutational analysis suggests that SoxB binding is essential for its activity. We discuss the contribution of this study to the elucidation of the regulatory hierarchy involved in early neural plate patterning.
Highlights
During neural induction, the embryonic neural plate becomes gradually regionalized along its antero-posterior (AP) axis
In the course of a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiment aimed at identifying regulatory elements bound by the Irx7 transcription factor in the neural plate of gastrulating zebrafish embryos, we recovered a 310 bp element, located in the immediate upstream vicinity of the promoter of the cyp26a1 gene
The 310 bp element harbors a transcriptional enhancer activity that is reminiscent of cyp26a1 expression in the anterior neural plate
Summary
The embryonic neural plate becomes gradually regionalized along its antero-posterior (AP) axis. Signals from adjacent tissues control the regionalised expression in the neural plate of a set of transcription factors, which translate this positional information into specific developmental programs. The AP pattern is later refined under the influence of secondary organizing centers. This patterning process is essential to elaborate the diverse. Regulation of cyp26a1 in Zebrafish Anterior Neural Plate analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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