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

ABSTRACT: We dissect the transcriptional regulatory relationships coordinating the dynamic expression patterns of two signaling genes, wnt8 and delta, which are central to specification of the sea urchin embryo endomesoderm. cis-Regulatory analysis shows that transcription of the gene encoding the Notch ligand Delta is activated by the widely expressed Runx transcription factor, but spatially restricted by HesC-mediated repression through a site in the delta 5'UTR. Spatial transcription of the hesC gene, however, is controlled by Blimp1 repression. Blimp1 thus represses the repressor of delta, thereby permitting its transcription. The blimp1 gene is itself linked into a feedback circuit that includes the wnt8 signaling ligand gene, and we showed earlier that this circuit generates an expanding torus

SUBMITTER: Smith J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2629318 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature