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VRTN Regulates the Number of Thoracic Vertebrae During Vertebrate Development [RNA-seq]

ABSTRACT: The number of vertebrae is precisely defined in almost all vertebrate species, but varies considerably in pigs, making this animal an excellent model for studying the mechanisms that control vertebral number. Vertnin (VRTN) variants have been associated with thoracic vertebral number (TVN) in pigs. However, the causal relation between VRTN and TVN remains to be established, and the role of VRTN in modulating TVN is not yet known. Here, we demonstrate that VRTN is one of the genes responsible for determining TVN. We show that VRTN is a DNA-binding transcription factor, which is essential for the formation of thoracic vertebrae during early embryogenesis as VRTN-null mice showed embryonic lethality at the later thoracic somite stages and had fewer somites than their wild-type and heterozygous littermates. We also show that VRTN causative variants increase Notch signaling in pig embryos, suggesting that VRTN controls segment number by altering the pace of somatic segmentation. These findings advance our understanding of the role of VRTN in the formation of thoracic vertebrae and reveal new aspects of somite developmental biology.

ORGANISM(S): Sus scrofa

PROVIDER: GSE87775 | GEO | 2019/10/09

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Within a given vertebrate species, the total number of vertebrae in each anatomical domain is precisely defined and shows little variation among individuals. In contrast, this number can vary tremendously between different species, ranging from as few as six vertebrae in frogs to as many as several hundred in some snakes and fish. Segmental precursors of the vertebrae, called somites are produced sequentially in the embryo from the presomitic mesoderm (PSM), until a final number characteristic of the species, is reached. Here, we show in the chicken embryo that, by controlling the rate of axis elongation, Hox genes control the total number of somites generated by the embryo. We observed that activation of the most posterior Hox genes in somite precursors of the tail bud correlates with an abrupt slowing-down of the speed of axis elongation. We show that progressively more posterior Hox genes, which are collinearly activated in somitic precursors of the epiblast, repress Wnt activity with increasing strength. This leads to a graded repression of the Brachyury/T transcription factor, reducing mesoderm ingression and slowing down the elongation process. Due to the continuation of somite formation, the PSM, which is not fed with sufficient supply of new cells posteriorly, becomes progressively exhausted, ultimately leading to an arrest of segment formation. Our data provide a conceptual framework to explain how the cross-talk between the segmentation clock and the Hox clock accounts for the diversity of vertebral formulae across animal species. Primitive streak aera corresponding to PSM precursors were dissected in Stage 9 somites chicken embryo overexpressing HoxA13 or a control H2B-Venus. The experiment was designed to have biological duplicate in each conditions. The gain-of-function was obtained by electroporating the embryo at Stage 5HH with a vector containing HoxA13 under the CAGGS promoter with an H2B venus reporter. In order to have enough material for the microarray, 7 embryos were pooled in each sample before the hybridization.

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VRTN Regulates the Number of Thoracic Vertebrae During Vertebrate Development [RNA-seq]

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