The molecular and cellular basis of variable craniofacial phenotypes and their genetic rescue in Twisted gastrulation mutant mice.

ABSTRACT: The severity of numerous developmental abnormalities can vary widely despite shared genetic causes. Mice deficient in Twisted gastrulation (Twsg1(-/-)) display such phenotypic variation, developing a wide range of craniofacial malformations on an isogenic C57BL/6 strain background. To examine the molecular basis for this reduced penetrance and variable expressivity, we used exon microarrays to analyze gene expression in mandibular arches from several distinct, morphologically defined classes of Twsg1(-/-) and wild type (WT) embryos. Hierarchical clustering analysis of transcript levels identified numerous differentially expressed genes, clearly distinguishing severely affected and unaffected Twsg1(-/-) mutants from WT embryos. Several genes that play well-known roles in craniofacial develo

SUBMITTER: Billington CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3105466 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature