寒武纪大附肢节肢动物的起源和进化机制分析

在节肢动物早期演化阶段 ,前附肢的演化是提高动物感觉和捕食能力的重要事件。化石和发育生物学实验结果表明节肢动物前附肢 (即口前附肢 )的原型为短棒形触角 ,在此基础上分别演化为长鞭形触角和腿肢形大附肢 ;大附肢与螯肢形态相似 ,为同源构造 ,因此寒武纪大附肢类群可能是现生螯肢类的干支类群。文中结合发育生物学研究进展分析节肢动物演化早期大附肢产生可能的分子进化机制。认为腿肢形大附肢的发生可能与Hox基因或其它未知发育调控因子参与触角或者附肢原型的发育有关 ,从而改变原有前附肢发育中Dll基因、dac基因和hth基因间特异的相互作用 ,导致前附肢获得腿肢特异性发育程序。     

Hox基因及其进化机制的研究进展

Hox基因是生物体内一类重要的发育调控基因家族.Hox基因高度保守,通常成簇存在,编码一类转录因子,在个体胚胎发育中起着重要的调控作用.近期研究表明,基因复制、基因序列变异及选择压力对Hox基因簇的产生和进化有重要作用,同时调节元件和协同进化对Hox基因的进化也有重要影响.     

Hox基因在中枢神经系统中作用的研究进展

同源异型盒基因(homeobox genes,Hox)在进化上是保守的,在调节胚胎发育,尤其在脊椎动物前–后轴(antero-posterior axis)的发育及肢体发育中起着重要作用。最近研究表明,Hox基因通过与之相关的辅助因子调节中枢神经系统(central nervous system,CNS)以及神经环路的发育。该文主要对Hox基因调控中枢神经系统发育的作用及机制进行综述。     

果蝇翅原基发育分化的主要过程及分子机理

翅原基发育分化与昆虫的个体发育紧密联系, 对昆虫翅发育的研究有助于阐述昆虫的发育过程。另外, 翅的形成是一些农林害虫泛滥的主要原因之一, 研究翅发育分化有助于我们从翅发育的角度控制农林害虫。目前, 翅发育分化在果蝇Drosophila中研究已较为深入详细。果蝇翅发育分化主要包括4个阶段： 翅原基（wing disc）的确定, 前-后（antero-posterior, A-P）和背-腹（dorso-ventral, D-V）组织中心（organizing center）的建立, 翅区（wing region）的确定, 以及翅区的进一步分化。具有homeobox序列的基因（homeobox 基因）如Engrailed (En)、 Apterous (Ap)和Ultrabithorax (Ubx), 分泌蛋白如Wnt家族成员Wingless (Wg)及TGF-β超家族成员Decapentaplegic (Dpp)和Hedgehog (Hh), 以及翅原基特有的核蛋白编码基因Vestigial (Vg), 共同调控了翅原基的正常发育分化。本文综述了果蝇翅原基发育分化的过程及分子机理方面的研究发现, 为翅原基的研究提供了参考。     

Hox基因及其在海胆中的研究进展

Hox(homeobox genes)基因是存在于染色体上的一段高度保守序列,其蛋白产物作为转录因子也是高度保守的。这些基因调节胚胎发育,尤其在脊椎动物前-后轴(antero-posterior axis)的发育过程中起着重要作用,并指导脊椎动物的体型形成。海胆是海洋中一类比较常见的无脊椎动物和主要的海水养殖动物,它的Hox基因对它动-植物轴(animal-vegetalaxis)的形成有调控作用,并对进化研究和养殖生产具有重要意义。综述了近年来Hox基因在海胆中的研究进展。     

串联反向CTCF位点的系列删除揭示增强子调控HOXD基因簇表达的平衡

三维基因组染色质架构蛋白CTCF(CCCTC-bindingfactor)能够介导增强子与基因启动子的远距离染色质相互作用,也可以结合调控区域的绝缘子发挥增强子绝缘功能,对发育中的基因表达调控具有重要作用。同源框基因家族(Homeoboxgenefamily,Hox)编码一类控制动物发育的关键转录因子,在发育中主要沿胚胎首尾轴(head-to-tail axis)呈时空线性表达。在哺乳动物中,Hox基因分为HoxA、HoxB、HoxC和HoxD四个基因簇,在中枢神经系统、骨骼和四肢发育中发挥重要功能。HoxD基因簇主要调控四肢发育,受位于其两侧调控域内的增强子调节,沿肢体近远轴(proximal-distal axis)呈时空线性表达。在人类基因组中,HOXD基因簇及其两侧的调控区域分布有串联排列的CTCF结合位点(简称CTCF位点),参与9个HOXD基因的表达调控。本研究以HOXD基因簇为模式基因,探究CTCF对发育基因(developmentalgenes)转录调控的影响。利用CRISPRDNA片段编辑技术在人HEK293T细胞中获得一系列的串联反向CTCF位点删除的单细胞克隆株。RNA-seq实验揭示CTCF位点删除后HOXD基因表达下降。定量高分辨率染色体构象捕获实验显示,HOXD与上游增强子簇的远距离染色质相互作用增强,与下游增强子簇的远距离染色质相互作用减弱。综上所述,串联反向的CTCF位点通过其绝缘子功能维持上下游增强子簇对HOXD基因簇表达调控的平衡,为探究动物发育过程中Hox基因表达的精准调控机制提供参考。     

异位表达Dichaete对果蝇足部发育的影响及其作用机制

【目的】果蝇Dichaete基因是Sox家族B亚家族基因,其表达贯穿整个胚胎发育阶段,在个体发育过程中发挥重要作用。Dichaete在野生型果蝇幼虫足芽上也有微弱表达,然而其在足发育过程中的作用少有报道。本研究旨在研究异位表达Dichaete对果蝇足部形态构成的影响,探索相关的作用机制。【方法】黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster en-Gal4品系雄性成虫与UAS-Dichaete转基因品系处女蝇杂交,驱动Dichaete异位表达,解剖子一代成虫足,在显微镜下观察异位表达的Dichaete对成虫足形态结构的影响;同时采用免疫组化技术检测异位表达Dichaete对果蝇足芽细胞凋亡和Distal-less(Dll)表达的影响。【结果】异位表达Dichaete导致黑腹果蝇成虫足末端结构缺陷,引起3龄幼虫足芽细胞凋亡增加,上调了Distal-less基因的表达,但对Wg和Dpp信号均无影响;抑制细胞凋亡也无法拯救该缺陷。【结论】异位表达Dichaete导致黑腹果蝇成虫足末端结构缺陷,Dichaete可能通过上调Distal-less基因影响足部发育。     

pygo基因对心脏功能的调控及其研究进展

Wg/Wnt信号参与调控多种组织的发育,尤其在心脏发育和心脏衰老过程中发挥重要的作用。pygo作为Wnt信号途径的一个新成员,可能依赖于Wnt信号调控心脏发育,而最新发现pygo敲低品系引起的成体心脏功能缺陷与Wnt信号缺失在心脏中的表型具有显著性差异,表明pygo调控成体心脏功能不依赖于经典Wnt信号,可能存在新的调控机制。主要对pygo基因在调控心脏发育和心脏衰老中的功能以及在果蝇和哺乳动物中pygo基因调控心脏功能分子机制的研究进展进行了综述。虽然pygo不依赖经典Wnt信号在成体心脏中发挥作用,但显性负抑制TCF突变体引起严重的成体心脏生理功能缺陷,与pygo表型一致,暗示着pygo可能依赖与TCF类似因子相互作用发挥功能。其次,pygo能跨越TCF或Lgs直接与Wnt信号靶基因相互作用。此外,Pygo蛋白能与Lgs相互作用形成Pygo-BCL9/Lgs-H3K4me复合物调节Wnt信号靶基因,且甲基转移酶HMT核心组件WDR5与Pygo蛋白的相互作用能促进PHD结构域与H3K4的结合,表明pygo调节成体心脏功能与表观遗传学修饰也具有一定的相关性。     

Smad在TGF-β超家族信号通路中的调控作用

TGF家族蛋白在哺乳动物的器官发育及形成中起着重要作用,它们经过膜受体的介导将信号传入细胞内,其下游最主要的调控蛋白Smad在胞内通过不同的调节各种基因的表达,这些模式主要有RSmadSmad4复合物直接与DNA结合,Smad蛋白与其他DNA结合因子,Smad蛋白与非DNA结合因子间的相互作用。Smad在BMPs对成骨细胞的分化调节过程中与RasMAPKAP1通路关联,共同决定不同细胞在不同发育阶段的定向分化 。     

MADS-box转录因子的相互作用及对果实发育和成熟的调控

MADS-box基因编码的蛋白是一类数目庞大的转录因子家族, 通过与其他转录因子相互作用形成同源或异源二聚体, 调控着整个植株的生长发育。文章对近年来MADS-box转录因子的相互作用及对果实发育和成熟的调控作用的研究进展进行了综述, 为了解MADS-box转录因子的作用方式和作用机理及深入研究MADS-box基因对调控果实发育和成熟的作用提供参考。     

Patterning of the branched head appendages in Schistocerca americana and Tribolium castaneum

Much of our understanding of arthropod limb development comes from studies on the leg imaginal disc of Drosophila melanogaster. The fly limb is a relatively simple unbranched (uniramous) structure extending out from the body wall. The molecular basis for this outgrowth involves the overlap of two signaling molecules, Decapentaplegic (Dpp) and Wingless (Wg), to create a single domain of distal outgrowth, clearly depicted by the expression of the Distal-less gene (Dll). The expression of wg and dpp during the development of other arthropod thoracic limbs indicates that these pathways might be conserved across arthropods for uniramous limb development. The appendages of crustaceans and the gnathal appendages of insects, however, exhibit a diverse array of morphologies, ranging from those with no distal elements, such as the mandible, to appendages with multiple distal elements. Examples of the latter group include branched appendages or those that possess multiple lobes; such complex morphologies are seen for many crustacean limbs as well as the maxillary and labial appendages of many insects. It is unclear how, if at all, the known patterning genes for making a uniramous limb might be deployed to generate these diverse appendage forms. Experiments in Drosophila have shown that by forcing ectopic overlaps of Wg and Dpp signaling it is possible to generate artificially branched legs. To test whether naturally branched appendages form in a similar manner, we detailed the expression patterns of wg, dpp, and Dll in the development of the branched gnathal appendages of the grasshopper, Schistocerca americana, and the flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. We find that the branches of the gnathal appendages are not specified through the redeployment of the Wg-Dpp system for distal outgrowth, but our comparative studies do suggest a role for Dpp in forming furrows between tissues.     

Establishment of medial fates along the proximodistal axis of the Drosophila leg through direct activation of dachshund by Distalless

The proximodistal (PD) axis of the Drosophila leg is thought to be established by the combined gradients of two secreted morphogens, Wingless (Wg) and Decapentaplegic (Dpp). According to this model, high [Wg+Dpp] activates Distalless (Dll) and represses dachshund (dac) in the distal cells of the leg disc, while intermediate [Wg+Dpp] activates dac in medial tissue. To test this model we identified and characterized a dac cis-regulatory element (dac RE) that recapitulates dac's medial expression domain during leg development. Counter to the gradient model, we find that Wg and Dpp do not act in a graded manner to activate RE. Instead, dac RE is activated directly by Dll and repressed distally by a combination of factors, including the homeodomain protein Bar. Thus, medial leg fates are established via a regulatory cascade in which Wg+Dpp activate Dll and then Dll directly activates dac, with Wg+Dpp as less critical, permissive inputs.     

Drosophila terminalia as an appendage-like structure.

In Drosophila, the homeotic gene Distal-less (Dll) has a fundamental role in the establishment of the identity of ventral appendages such as the leg and antenna. This study reports the expression pattern of Dll in the genital disc, the requirement of Dll activity for the development of the terminalia and the activation of Dll by the combined action of the morphogenetic signals Wingless (Wg) and Decapentaplegic (Dpp). During the development of the two components of the anal primordium - the hindgut and the analia - only the latter is dependent on Dll and hedgehog (hh) functions. The hindgut is defined by the expression of the homeobox gene even-skipped. The lack of Dll function in the anal primordia transforms the anal tissue into hindgut by the extension of the eve domain. Meanwhile targeted ectopic Dll represses eve expression and hindgut formation. The Dll requirement for the development of both anal plates in males and only for the dorsal anal plate in females, provides further evidence for the previously held idea that the analia arise from two primordia. In addition, evaluation was made of the requirement for the optomotor-blind (omb) gene which, as in the leg and antenna, is located downstream to Dpp. These results suggest that the terminalia show similar behaviour to the leg disc or the antennal part of the eye-antennal disc consistent with both the proposed ventral origin of the genital disc and the evolutive consideration of the terminalia as an ancestral appendage.