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Oct4 Is a Key Regulator of Vertebrate Trunk Length Diversity.
- Source :
-
Developmental cell [Dev Cell] 2016 Aug 08; Vol. 38 (3), pp. 262-74. Date of Electronic Publication: 2016 Jul 21. - Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Vertebrates exhibit a remarkably broad variation in trunk and tail lengths. However, the evolutionary and developmental origins of this diversity remain largely unknown. Posterior Hox genes were proposed to be major players in trunk length diversification in vertebrates, but functional studies have so far failed to support this view. Here we identify the pluripotency factor Oct4 as a key regulator of trunk length in vertebrate embryos. Maintaining high Oct4 levels in axial progenitors throughout development was sufficient to extend trunk length in mouse embryos. Oct4 also shifted posterior Hox gene-expression boundaries in the extended trunks, thus providing a link between activation of these genes and the transition to tail development. Furthermore, we show that the exceptionally long trunks of snakes are likely to result from heterochronic changes in Oct4 activity during body axis extension, which may have derived from differential genomic rearrangements at the Oct4 locus during vertebrate evolution.<br /> (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Animals
Biological Evolution
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins genetics
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins metabolism
Embryo, Mammalian metabolism
Embryo, Nonmammalian metabolism
Genes, Homeobox physiology
Growth Differentiation Factors genetics
Growth Differentiation Factors metabolism
Mice embryology
Mice genetics
Mutation genetics
Octamer Transcription Factors genetics
Snakes embryology
Snakes genetics
Torso embryology
Embryo, Mammalian anatomy & histology
Embryo, Nonmammalian anatomy & histology
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Mice anatomy & histology
Octamer Transcription Factors metabolism
Snakes anatomy & histology
Torso anatomy & histology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1878-1551
- Volume :
- 38
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Developmental cell
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 27453501
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2016.06.021