Similar Datasets
Project description:Meis1 and Meis2 are homeodomain transcription factors that regulate organogenesis through cooperation with Hox proteins. Elimination of Meis genes after limb induction has shown their role in limb proximo-distal patterning; however, limb development in the complete absence of Meis function has not been studied. Here, we report that Meis1/2 inactivation in the lateral plate mesoderm of mouse embryos leads to limb agenesis. Meis and Tbx factors converge in this function, extensively co-binding with Tbx to genomic sites and co-regulating enhancers of Fgf10, a critical factor in limb initiation. Limbs with three deleted Meis alleles show proximal-specific skeletal hypoplasia and agenesis of posterior skeletal elements. This failure in posterior specification results from an early role of Meis factors in establishing the limb antero-posterior prepattern required for Shh activation. Our results demonstrate roles for Meis transcription factors in early limb development and identify their involvement in previously undescribed interaction networks that regulate organogenesis.
| S-EPMC8149412 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Meis1 and Meis2 are highly similar homeodomain transcription factors that regulate organogenesis through cooperation with Hox proteins. Overexpression experiments have suggested an essential role for Meis factors in limb proximo-distal patterning; however, loss-of-function experiments supporting this notion have not been reported. Meis1 and Meis2 are coexpressed during limb development, first in the lateral plate mesoderm, before limb induction, and then they become restricted to a proximal domain of the growing limb bud. Here, we report that complete double conditional Meis1/2 inactivation in the lateral plate mesoderm leads to limb agenesis. Meis factors cooperate with Tbx factors in this function, extensively co-binding with Tbx to genomic sites and co-regulating enhancers of fgf10, a critical factor in limb initiation. Limbs with three deleted Meis alleles develop a complete PD set of limb skeletal elements, but show proximal-specific skeletal hypoplasia and agenesis of posterior skeletal elements. This failure in posterior skeletal element specification reveals an early role of Meis factors in establishing the limb AP prepattern required for Shh activation at later stages. Our results uncover novel roles for Meis transcription factors in early limb development and identify their involvement in new molecular interaction networks that regulate organogenesis.
2021-03-29 | GSE134039 | GEO
Project description:Meis1 and Meis2 are highly similar homeodomain transcription factors that regulate organogenesis through cooperation with Hox proteins. Overexpression experiments have suggested an essential role for Meis factors in limb proximo-distal patterning; however, loss-of-function experiments supporting this notion have not been reported. Meis1 and Meis2 are coexpressed during limb development, first in the lateral plate mesoderm, before limb induction, and then they become restricted to a proximal domain of the growing limb bud. Here, we report that complete double conditional Meis1/2 inactivation in the lateral plate mesoderm leads to limb agenesis. Meis factors cooperate with Tbx factors in this function, extensively co-binding with Tbx to genomic sites and co-regulating enhancers of fgf10, a critical factor in limb initiation. Limbs with three deleted Meis alleles develop a complete PD set of limb skeletal elements, but show proximal-specific skeletal hypoplasia and agenesis of posterior skeletal elements. This failure in posterior skeletal element specification reveals an early role of Meis factors in establishing the limb AP prepattern required for Shh activation at later stages. Our results uncover novel roles for Meis transcription factors in early limb development and identify their involvement in new molecular interaction networks that regulate organogenesis
2020-05-25 | GSE134034 | GEO
Project description:Control of limb initiation and antero-posterior patterning by cooperation between Meis and Tbx transcription factors
| PRJNA553672 | ENA
Project description:Control of limb initiation and antero-posterior patterning by cooperation between Meis and Tbx transcription factors [ChIP-seq]
| PRJNA553525 | ENA
Project description:Control of limb initiation and antero-posterior patterning by cooperation between Meis and Tbx transcription factors [RNA-seq]
| PRJNA553538 | ENA
Project description:The formation and maintenance of the apical ectodermal ridge (AER) is critical for the outgrowth and patterning of the vertebrate limb. The induction of the AER is a complex process that relies on integrated interactions among the Fgf, Wnt, and Bmp signaling pathways that operate within the ectoderm and between the ectoderm and the mesoderm of the early limb bud. The transcription factors Sp6 and Sp8 are expressed in the limb ectoderm and AER during limb development. Sp6 mutant mice display a mild syndactyly phenotype while Sp8 mutants exhibit severe limb truncations. Both mutants show defects in AER maturation and in dorsal-ventral patterning. To gain further insights into the role Sp6 and Sp8 play in limb development, we have produced mice lacking both Sp6 and Sp8 activity in the limb ectoderm. Remarkably, the elimination or significant reduction in Sp6;Sp8 gene dosage leads to tetra-amelia; initial budding occurs, but neither Fgf8 nor En1 are activated. Mutants bearing a single functional allele of Sp8 (Sp6-/-;Sp8+/-) exhibit a split-hand/foot malformation phenotype with double dorsal digit tips probably due to an irregular and immature AER that is not maintained in the center of the bud and on the abnormal expansion of Wnt7a expression to the ventral ectoderm. Our data are compatible with Sp6 and Sp8 working together and in a dose-dependent manner as indispensable mediators of Wnt/?catenin and Bmp signaling in the limb ectoderm. We suggest that the function of these factors links proximal-distal and dorsal-ventral patterning.
| S-EPMC4148220 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Vertebrate limb development is controlled by three signaling centers that regulate limb patterning and growth along the proximodistal (PD), anteroposterior (AP) and dorsoventral (DV) limb axes. Coordination of limb development along these three axes is achieved by interactions and feedback loops involving the secreted signaling molecules that mediate the activities of these signaling centers. However, it is unknown how these signaling interactions are processed in the responding cells. We have found that distinct LIM homeodomain transcription factors, encoded by the LIM homeobox (LIM-HD) genes Lhx2, Lhx9 and Lmx1b integrate the signaling events that link limb patterning and outgrowth along all three axes. Simultaneous loss of Lhx2 and Lhx9 function resulted in patterning and growth defects along the AP and the PD limb axes. Similar, but more severe, phenotypes were observed when the activities of all three factors, Lmx1b, Lhx2 and Lhx9, were significantly reduced by removing their obligatory co-factor Ldb1. This reveals that the dorsal limb-specific factor Lmx1b can partially compensate for the function of Lhx2 and Lhx9 in regulating AP and PD limb patterning and outgrowth. We further showed that Lhx2 and Lhx9 can fully substitute for each other, and that Lmx1b is partially redundant, in controlling the production of output signals in mesenchymal cells in response to Fgf8 and Shh signaling. Our results indicate that several distinct LIM-HD transcription factors in conjunction with their Ldb1 co-factor serve as common central integrators of distinct signaling interactions and feedback loops to coordinate limb patterning and outgrowth along the PD, AP and DV axes after limb bud formation.
| S-EPMC2687467 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Vertebrate axial skeletal patterning is controlled by coordinated collinear expression of Hox genes and axial level-dependent activity of Hox protein combinations. Transcription factors of the Meis family act as cofactors of Hox proteins and profusely bind to Hox complex DNA, however their roles in mammalian axial patterning have not been established. Similarly, retinoic acid (RA) is known to regulate axial skeletal element identity through the transcriptional activity of its receptors, however whether this role is related to Meis/Hox regulation or functions in axial patterning remains unknown. Here we study the role of Meis factors in axial skeleton formation and its relationship to the RA pathway by characterizing Meis1, Meis2 and Raldh2 mutant mice. We report that Meis and Raldh2 regulate each other in a positive feedback regulatory loop that controls axial skeletal identity. Meis elimination produces homeotic transformations similar to those found in Raldh2 and anterior-Hox mutants and disrupts the expression of Hox target genes without changing the transcriptional profiles of Hox complexes. We propose that Meis regulates vertebrate axial skeleton patterning by exclusively affecting Hox protein function, and that alterations in RA levels can produce homeotic transformations without altering Hox transcription through regulating Meis expression.
2020-12-22 | GSE146301 | GEO
Project description:Preaxial polydactyly (PPD) is a common limb-associated birth defect characterized by extra digit(s) in the anterior autopod. It often results from ectopic sonic hedgehog (Shh) expression in the anterior limb bud. Although several transcription factors are known to restrict Shh expression to the posterior limb bud, how they function together remains unclear. Here we provide evidence from mouse conditional knockout limb buds that the bHLH family transcription factor gene Twist1 is required to inhibit Shh expression in the anterior limb bud mesenchyme. More importantly, we uncovered genetic synergism between Twist1 and the ETS family transcription factor genes Etv4 and Etv5 (collectively Etv), which also inhibit Shh expression. Biochemical data suggest that this genetic interaction is a result of direct association between TWIST1 and ETV proteins. Previous studies have shown that TWIST1 functions by forming homodimers or heterodimers with other bHLH factors including HAND2, a key positive regulator of Shh expression. We found that the PPD phenotype observed in Etv mutants is suppressed by a mutation in Hand2, indicative of genetic antagonism. Furthermore, overexpression of ETV proteins influences the dimerization of these bHLH factors. Together, our data suggest that through biochemical interactions, the Shh expression regulators ETV, TWIST1 and HAND2 attain a precise balance to establish anterior-posterior patterning of the limb.
| S-EPMC2947755 | biostudies-literature