Cell type and regulatory analysis in amphioxus illuminates evolutionary origin of the vertebrate head

Anna Markos, Jan Kubovciak, Simona Mikula Mrstakova, Anna Zitova, Jan Paces, Simona Machacova, Zbynek Kozmik-Jr, Zbynek Kozmik and Iryna Kozmikova ()
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Anna Markos: Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Jan Kubovciak: Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Simona Mikula Mrstakova: Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Anna Zitova: Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Jan Paces: Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Simona Machacova: Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Zbynek Kozmik-Jr: Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Zbynek Kozmik: Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Iryna Kozmikova: Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract To shed light on the enigmatic origin of the vertebrate head, our study employs an integrated approach that combines single-cell transcriptomics, perturbations in signaling pathways, and cis-regulatory analysis in amphioxus. As a representative of a basal lineage within the chordate phylum, amphioxus retains many characteristics thought to have been present in the common chordate ancestor. Through cell type characterization, we identify the presence of prechordal plate-like, pre-migratory, and migratory neural crest-like cell populations in the developing amphioxus embryo. Functional analysis establishes conserved roles of the Nodal and Hedgehog signaling pathways in prechordal plate-like populations, and of the Wnt signaling pathway in neural crest-like populations’ development. Furthermore, our trans-species transgenic experiments highlight similarities in the regulatory environments that drive neural crest-like and prechordal plate-like developmental programs in both vertebrates and amphioxus. Our findings provide evidence that the key features of vertebrate head development can be traced back to the common ancestor of all chordates.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52938-7

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