Cnidarian-bilaterian comparison reveals the ancestral regulatory logic of the β-catenin dependent axial patterning

Tatiana Lebedeva, Andrew J. Aman, Thomas Graf, Isabell Niedermoser, Bob Zimmermann, Yulia Kraus, Magdalena Schatka, Adrien Demilly, Ulrich Technau and Grigory Genikhovich ()
Additional contact information
Tatiana Lebedeva: University of Vienna
Andrew J. Aman: University of Vienna
Thomas Graf: University of Vienna
Isabell Niedermoser: University of Vienna
Bob Zimmermann: University of Vienna
Yulia Kraus: University of Vienna
Magdalena Schatka: University of Vienna
Adrien Demilly: University of Vienna
Ulrich Technau: University of Vienna
Grigory Genikhovich: University of Vienna

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract In animals, body axis patterning is based on the concentration-dependent interpretation of graded morphogen signals, which enables correct positioning of the anatomical structures. The most ancient axis patterning system acting across animal phyla relies on β-catenin signaling, which directs gastrulation, and patterns the main body axis. However, within Bilateria, the patterning logic varies significantly between protostomes and deuterostomes. To deduce the ancestral principles of β-catenin-dependent axial patterning, we investigate the oral–aboral axis patterning in the sea anemone Nematostella—a member of the bilaterian sister group Cnidaria. Here we elucidate the regulatory logic by which more orally expressed β-catenin targets repress more aborally expressed β-catenin targets, and progressively restrict the initially global, maternally provided aboral identity. Similar regulatory logic of β-catenin-dependent patterning in Nematostella and deuterostomes suggests a common evolutionary origin of these processes and the equivalence of the cnidarian oral–aboral and the bilaterian posterior–anterior body axes.

Date: 2021
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-24346-8 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-24346-8

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24346-8

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().