Uy BR et al. (2015), Evolutionarily conserved role for SoxC genes in...

XB-ART-49481

Dev Biol 2015 Jan 15;3972:282-92. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.09.022.

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Evolutionarily conserved role for SoxC genes in neural crest specification and neuronal differentiation.

Uy BR , Simoes-Costa M , Koo DE , Sauka-Spengler T , Bronner ME .

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Members of the Sox family of transcription factors play a variety of critical developmental roles in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Whereas SoxBs and SoxEs are involved in neural and neural crest development, respectively, far less is known about members of the SoxC subfamily. To address this from an evolutionary perspective, we compare expression and function of SoxC genes in neural crest cells and their derivatives in lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), a basal vertebrate, to frog (Xenopus laevis). Analysis of transcript distribution reveals conservation of lamprey and X. laevis SoxC expression in premigratory neural crest, branchial arches, and cranial ganglia. Moreover, morpholino-mediated loss-of-function of selected SoxC family members demonstrates essential roles in aspects of neural crest development in both organisms. The results suggest important and conserved functions of SoxC genes during vertebrate evolution and a particularly critical, previously unrecognized role in early neural crest specification.

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Species referenced: Xenopus laevis
Genes referenced: foxd3 neurog1 neurog2 sox10 sox11 sox12 sox4 twist1
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	Fig. 2. Xenopus laevis SoxCs exhibit overlapping expression in the neural plate, neural crest, and facial region. Sox4 (St.14â€“28) is expressed broadly in the neural plate starting at stage 14/15 and in the forming neural tube and migrating neural crest (Dorsal: Aâ€“C). It is then strongly expressed in developing ganglia as well as weakly in the branchial arches, otic vesicle, and eye (D and E). Sox11 (St.14â€“28) is strongly expressed early in the neural plate border and neural folds (Dorsal:H). It is expressed in neural crest and ectodermal placodes (Dorsal:Fâ€“J). Expression is maintained in the neural tube, forming ganglia, and branchial arches (I and J). Sox12 (st.14â€“28) is expressed broadly and similarly to Sox4. At St 14â€“20, Sox12 is expressed throughout the neural plate and in the migrating neural crest (Dorsal:Kâ€“M). Expression is observed throughout the neural tube as well as in cranial ganglia, branchial arches, eye, and otic vesicle (N and O). Ot: Otic Vesicle; BA: Branchial Arches.
	Fig. 3. Morpholino antisense oligonucleotides efficiently disrupt target protein translation. Side by side comparison of Xenopus laevis embryos injected with 5×³UTR-GFP mRNA (left column) and targeted morpholino versus 5×³UTR-GFP mRNA and control morpholino (right column). (A) Embryos injected with either control or targeted FITC labeled morpholinos. (BâF) X. laevis embryos stained with anti-GFP antibody show abundance of GFP in embryos injected with control morpholino, while targeted morpholino efficiently prevents mRNA translation and GFP protein production.
	Fig. 5. Xenopus laevis Sox4 and Sox11 regulate neural crest specifier genes FoxD3, Sox10, and Twist. Functional knockdowns of Sox4 and Sox11 lead to the loss of neural crest specifiers on the injected size (shown by lacZ staining) of FoxD3 (A and B), Sox10 (C and D), and Twist (E and F). (I) Quantification of effects on FoxD3 expression: Sox4mo(n=36), Sox10mo(n=33), and Controlmo(n=23) Ï‡2=51.8 with 3 degrees of freedom. (J) Quantification of effects on Sox10 expression: Sox4mo(n=43), Sox11mo(n=20), and Controlmo(n=22). Ï‡2=50.4 with 4 degrees of freedom. (K) Quantification of effects on Twist expression: Sox4mo(n=73), Sox11mo(n=47), and Controlmo(n=24) Ï‡2=90.2 with 4 degrees of freedom. (Gâ€“H) SoxCmo injected embryos rescued with SoxC mRNA by FoxD3 expression. (L) Quantification of effects with FoxD3: Sox4mo(n=67), and Sox11mo=(30); (Ï‡2=3.28) with 2 degrees of freedom.
	Fig. 7. Xenopus laevis Sox4 and Sox11 knock-downs affect Neurogenin expression later in development. At stage 26, Sox4mo causes a loss of Neurogenin-2 expression in the branchial arches, otic vesicle, and eye (Aâ€“C). Sox11mo results in the loss of Neurogenin-2 expression in the branchial arches and otic vesicle(Dâ€“F). (H) Ngn1: Sox4mo (n=34), Sox11mo (n=52), and Controlmo (n=16).
	sox4 (SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 4) gene expression in Xenopus laevis embryo, assayed via in situ hybridization, NF stage 14, dorsal view, anterior up.
	sox4 (SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 4) gene expression in Xenopus laevis embryo, assayed via in situ hybridization, NF stage 20, dorsal view, anterior up.
	sox4 (SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 4) gene expression in Xenopus laevis embryo, assayed via in situ hybridization, NF stage 28, lateral view, anterior left, dorsal up.
	sox12 (SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 12) gene expression in Xenopus laevis embryo, assayed via in situ hybridization, NF stage 14, dorsal view, anterior up.
	sox12 (SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 12) gene expression in Xenopus laevis embryo, assayed via in situ hybridization, NF stage 20, dorsal view, anterior up.
	sox12 (SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 12) gene expression in Xenopus laevis embryo, assayed via in situ hybridization, NF stage 28, lateral view, anterior left, dorsal up.

References [+] :

Bell, SOX8 expression during chick embryogenesis. 2000, Pubmed