A Gene Regulatory Network Subcircuit Drives a Dynamic Pattern of Gene Expression

Joel Smith, Christina Theodoris, Eric H. Davidson^*

Abstract: Early specification of endomesodermal territories in the sea urchin embryo depends on a moving torus of regulatory gene expression. We show how this dynamic patterning function is encoded in a gene regulatory network (GRN) subcircuit that includes the otx, wnt8, and blimp1 genes, the cis-regulatory control systems of which have all been experimentally defined. A cis-regulatory reconstruction experiment revealed that blimp1 autorepression accounts for progressive extinction of expression in the center of the torus, whereas its outward expansion follows reception of the Wnt8 ligand by adjacent cells. GRN circuitry thus controls not only static spatial assignment in development but also dynamic regulatory patterning.

Division of Biology, 156-29, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: davidson{at}caltech.edu

Pantropic retroviruses as a transduction tool for sea urchin embryos.

A. B. Core, A. E. Reyna, E. A. Conaway, and C. A. Bradham (2012)
PNAS 109, 5334-5339
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Frizzled1/2/7 signaling directs {beta}-catenin nuclearisation and initiates endoderm specification in macromeres during sea urchin embryogenesis.

G. Lhomond, D. R. McClay, C. Gache, and J. C. Croce (2012)
Development 139, 816-825
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Sequential Signaling Crosstalk Regulates Endomesoderm Segregation in Sea Urchin Embryos.

A. J. Sethi, R. M. Wikramanayake, R. C. Angerer, R. C. Range, and L. M. Angerer (2012)
Science 335, 590-593
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

The evolution of nervous system patterning: insights from sea urchin development.

L. M. Angerer, S. Yaguchi, R. C. Angerer, and R. D. Burke (2011)
Development 138, 3613-3623
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Wnt6 activates endoderm in the sea urchin gene regulatory network.

J. Croce, R. Range, S.-Y. Wu, E. Miranda, G. Lhomond, J. C.-f. Peng, T. Lepage, and D. R. McClay (2011)
Development 138, 3297-3306
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Evolutionary crossroads in developmental biology: sea urchins.

D. R. McClay (2011)
Development 138, 2639-2648
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

The control of foxN2/3 expression in sea urchin embryos and its function in the skeletogenic gene regulatory network.

H. K. Rho and D. R. McClay (2011)
Development 138, 937-945
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Information processing at the foxa node of the sea urchin endomesoderm specification network.

S. B.-T. de-Leon and E. H. Davidson (2010)
PNAS 107, 10103-10108
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Regulative recovery in the sea urchin embryo and the stabilizing role of fail-safe gene network wiring.

J. Smith and E. H. Davidson (2009)
PNAS 106, 18291-18296
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Dynamic gene expression is required for anterior regionalization in a spider.

M. Pechmann, A. P. McGregor, E. E. Schwager, N. M. Feitosa, and W. G. M. Damen (2009)
PNAS 106, 1468-1472
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Experimental advances in the characterization of metazoan gene regulatory networks.

B. Deplancke (2009)
Briefings in Functional Genomics 8, 12-27
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Gene regulatory network subcircuit controlling a dynamic spatial pattern of signaling in the sea urchin embryo.

J. Smith and E. H. Davidson (2008)
PNAS 105, 20089-20094
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Properties of developmental gene regulatory networks.

E. H. Davidson and M. S. Levine (2008)
PNAS 105, 20063-20066
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Global regulatory logic for specification of an embryonic cell lineage.

P. Oliveri, Q. Tu, and E. H. Davidson (2008)
PNAS 105, 5955-5962
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »