Evolutionary Change in Gut Specification in <i>Caenorhabditis</i> Centers on the GATA Factor ELT-3 in an Example of Developmental System Drift
Cells in a developing animal embryo become specified by the activation of cell-type-specific gene regulatory networks. The network that specifies the gut in the nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> has been the subject of study for more than two decades. In this network, the maternal f...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Developmental Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2221-3759/11/3/32 |
| _version_ | 1827725828825284608 |
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| author | Gina Broitman-Maduro Morris F. Maduro |
| author_facet | Gina Broitman-Maduro Morris F. Maduro |
| author_sort | Gina Broitman-Maduro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cells in a developing animal embryo become specified by the activation of cell-type-specific gene regulatory networks. The network that specifies the gut in the nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> has been the subject of study for more than two decades. In this network, the maternal factors SKN-1/Nrf and POP-1/TCF activate a zygotic GATA factor cascade consisting of the regulators MED-1,2 → END-1,3 → ELT-2,7, leading to the specification of the gut in early embryos. Paradoxically, the MED, END, and ELT-7 regulators are present only in species closely related to <i>C. elegans</i>, raising the question of how the gut can be specified without them. Recent work found that ELT-3, a GATA factor without an endodermal role in <i>C. elegans</i>, acts in a simpler ELT-3 → ELT-2 network to specify gut in more distant species. The simpler ELT-3 → ELT-2 network may thus represent an ancestral pathway. In this review, we describe the elucidation of the gut specification network in <i>C. elegans</i> and related species and propose a model by which the more complex network might have formed. Because the evolution of this network occurred without a change in phenotype, it is an example of the phenomenon of Developmental System Drift. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:36:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-efce53b58be047979218ffa59d85794a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2221-3759 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:36:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Developmental Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-efce53b58be047979218ffa59d85794a2023-11-19T11:22:58ZengMDPI AGJournal of Developmental Biology2221-37592023-07-011133210.3390/jdb11030032Evolutionary Change in Gut Specification in <i>Caenorhabditis</i> Centers on the GATA Factor ELT-3 in an Example of Developmental System DriftGina Broitman-Maduro0Morris F. Maduro1Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USADepartment of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California-Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USACells in a developing animal embryo become specified by the activation of cell-type-specific gene regulatory networks. The network that specifies the gut in the nematode <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> has been the subject of study for more than two decades. In this network, the maternal factors SKN-1/Nrf and POP-1/TCF activate a zygotic GATA factor cascade consisting of the regulators MED-1,2 → END-1,3 → ELT-2,7, leading to the specification of the gut in early embryos. Paradoxically, the MED, END, and ELT-7 regulators are present only in species closely related to <i>C. elegans</i>, raising the question of how the gut can be specified without them. Recent work found that ELT-3, a GATA factor without an endodermal role in <i>C. elegans</i>, acts in a simpler ELT-3 → ELT-2 network to specify gut in more distant species. The simpler ELT-3 → ELT-2 network may thus represent an ancestral pathway. In this review, we describe the elucidation of the gut specification network in <i>C. elegans</i> and related species and propose a model by which the more complex network might have formed. Because the evolution of this network occurred without a change in phenotype, it is an example of the phenomenon of Developmental System Drift.https://www.mdpi.com/2221-3759/11/3/32cell specification<i>C. elegans</i>intestinegene network evolutiondevelopmental system drift |
| spellingShingle | Gina Broitman-Maduro Morris F. Maduro Evolutionary Change in Gut Specification in <i>Caenorhabditis</i> Centers on the GATA Factor ELT-3 in an Example of Developmental System Drift Journal of Developmental Biology cell specification <i>C. elegans</i> intestine gene network evolution developmental system drift |
| title | Evolutionary Change in Gut Specification in <i>Caenorhabditis</i> Centers on the GATA Factor ELT-3 in an Example of Developmental System Drift |
| title_full | Evolutionary Change in Gut Specification in <i>Caenorhabditis</i> Centers on the GATA Factor ELT-3 in an Example of Developmental System Drift |
| title_fullStr | Evolutionary Change in Gut Specification in <i>Caenorhabditis</i> Centers on the GATA Factor ELT-3 in an Example of Developmental System Drift |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolutionary Change in Gut Specification in <i>Caenorhabditis</i> Centers on the GATA Factor ELT-3 in an Example of Developmental System Drift |
| title_short | Evolutionary Change in Gut Specification in <i>Caenorhabditis</i> Centers on the GATA Factor ELT-3 in an Example of Developmental System Drift |
| title_sort | evolutionary change in gut specification in i caenorhabditis i centers on the gata factor elt 3 in an example of developmental system drift |
| topic | cell specification <i>C. elegans</i> intestine gene network evolution developmental system drift |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2221-3759/11/3/32 |
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