Abstract

BackgroundCurrent studies in evolutionary developmental biology are focused on the reconstruction of gene regulatory networks in target animal species. From decades, the scientific interest on genetic mechanisms orchestrating embryos development has been increasing in consequence to the fact that common features shared by evolutionarily distant phyla are being clarified. In 2011, a study across eumetazoan species showed for the first time the existence of a highly conserved non-coding element controlling the SoxB2 gene, which is involved in the early specification of the nervous system. This discovery raised several questions about SoxB2 function and regulation in deuterostomes from an evolutionary point of view.ResultsDue to the relevant phylogenetic position within deuterostomes, the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus represents an advantageous animal model in the field of evolutionary developmental biology. Herein, we show a comprehensive study of SoxB2 functions in sea urchins, in particular its expression pattern in a wide range of developmental stages, and its co-localization with other neurogenic markers, as SoxB1, SoxC and Elav. Moreover, this work provides a detailed description of the phenotype of sea urchin SoxB2 knocked-down embryos, confirming its key function in neurogenesis and revealing, for the first time, its additional roles in oral and aboral ectoderm cilia and skeletal rod morphology.ConclusionsWe concluded that SoxB2 in sea urchins has a neurogenic function; however, this gene could have multiple roles in sea urchin embryogenesis, expanding its expression in non-neurogenic cells. We showed that SoxB2 is functionally conserved among deuterostomes and suggested that in S. purpuratus this gene acquired additional functions, being involved in ciliogenesis and skeletal patterning.

Highlights

  • Current studies in evolutionary developmental biology are focused on the reconstruction of gene regulatory networks in target animal species

  • We focused our attention on SoxB2 during the development of the sea urchin S. purpuratus, belonging to echinoderms, which shares a common ancestor with modern chordates dating back about 500 million years [16]

  • Nervous system specification during sea urchin development: orchestration by Sox genes expression While transcriptional data of SoxB1 and SoxB2 have been comprehensively included in the Echinoderms genome database (Echinobase) up to prism developmental stage, very little is known about late larval expression profile of these two genes

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Summary

Introduction

Current studies in evolutionary developmental biology are focused on the reconstruction of gene regulatory networks in target animal species. In 2011, a study across eumetazoan species showed for the first time the existence of a highly conserved non-coding element controlling the SoxB2 gene, which is involved in the early specification of the nervous system This discovery raised several questions about SoxB2 function and regulation in deuterostomes from an evolutionary point of view. Many studies have been undertaken in order to unravel the developmental significance of SoxB1 and SoxB2 crosstalk in the animal kingdom [1,2,3,4] These genes are structurally very similar, but have antagonistic roles: SoxB1 is considered a transcriptional activator, while SoxB2 a transcriptional repressor [5]. Sox in zebrafish plays an important role in lens formation, embryonic CNS development, endoderm and ectoderm differentiation [11]

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