Abstract
Spatial variations in the levels of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling are a critical determinant of dorsoanterior-ventroposterior pattern in vertebrate embryos. Whereas BMP overexpression abolishes both head and trunk development, known single and double loss-of-function mutations in BMP inhibitors have less dramatic effects. We report that combining mutations in the zebrafish genes bozozok and chordino causes a synergistic loss of head and trunk, whereas most cells express ventro-posterior markers and develop into a tail. Genetic inactivation of BMP signaling fully suppresses these defects. Thus, a remarkably simple genetic mechanism, involving a coinhibition of BMP function by the partially overlapping bozozok and chordino pathways is used to specify vertebrate head and trunk.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
-
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
-
Animals
-
Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2
-
Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4
-
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / genetics
-
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / metabolism*
-
Embryo, Nonmammalian
-
Eye Proteins
-
Female
-
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
-
Head / abnormalities
-
Head / embryology*
-
Homeobox Protein SIX3
-
Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
-
Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism*
-
Mesoderm / pathology
-
Mutation
-
Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
-
Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
-
Signal Transduction
-
Tail / embryology
-
Zebrafish / embryology*
-
Zebrafish / genetics*
-
Zebrafish Proteins*
Substances
-
Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2
-
Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4
-
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins
-
Eye Proteins
-
Homeodomain Proteins
-
Nerve Tissue Proteins
-
Zebrafish Proteins
-
bmp2b protein, zebrafish
-
bmp4 protein, zebrafish
-
dharma protein, zebrafish