IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v9y2018i1d10.1038_s41467-018-04184-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Hox and Wnt pattern the primary body axis of an anthozoan cnidarian before gastrulation

Author

Listed:
  • Timothy Q. DuBuc

    (National University of Ireland Galway)

  • Thomas B. Stephenson

    (University of Florida)

  • Amber Q. Rock

    (University of Florida)

  • Mark Q. Martindale

    (University of Florida)

Abstract

Hox gene transcription factors are important regulators of positional identity along the anterior–posterior axis in bilaterian animals. Cnidarians (e.g., sea anemones, corals, and hydroids) are the sister group to the Bilateria and possess genes related to both anterior and central/posterior class Hox genes. Here we report a previously unrecognized domain of Hox expression in the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, beginning at early blastula stages. We explore the relationship of two opposing Hox genes (NvAx6/NvAx1) expressed on each side of the blastula during early development. Functional perturbation reveals that NvAx6 and NvAx1 not only regulate their respective expression domains, but also interact with Wnt genes to pattern the entire oral–aboral axis. These findings suggest an ancient link between Hox/Wnt patterning during axis formation and indicate that oral–aboral domains are likely established during blastula formation in anthozoan cnidarians.

Suggested Citation

  • Timothy Q. DuBuc & Thomas B. Stephenson & Amber Q. Rock & Mark Q. Martindale, 2018. "Hox and Wnt pattern the primary body axis of an anthozoan cnidarian before gastrulation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-04184-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04184-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-04184-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-018-04184-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-04184-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.