Human birth defects and cancers are caused by misregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway. In early vertebrate embryos, development of the body axis critically requires the activation of the Wnt pathway on one side of the embryo. In the frog Xenopus, a predominant model organism for axis formation, this asymmetric signaling is achieved by the differential localization of maternally derived molecules stored in the egg. These proteins and mRNAs are redistributed toward the future dorsal side by rotational movements of the egg cortex following fertilization, resulting in the activation of Wnt signaling. Interference with this process results in embryos lacking the dorsal tissues of the primary germ layers, including the CNS, notochord and dorsal musculature. The exact mechanism of Wnt activation in axis formation is unclear, but data from maternal loss-of-function studies, including Preliminary Studies for this proposal, have implicated vegetally localized factors. The long-term goal of this research is to understand the role of these localized maternal gene products in embryonic axis formation. Preliminary Studies for this proposal have identified novel localized mRNAs, using microarray analysis of cortex-bound RNAs. Two candidate genes, trim36 and exdl2, which were restricted to the germ plasm, a subregion of the vegetal cortex, were found to have roles in axis formation. These genes encode a Tripartite Motif protein and a novel exonuclease domain-containing protein, respectively. The studies in this proposal will determine the mechanisms underlying the function of these genes in axis formation, via antisense-mediated depletion of their maternal stores and gain-of-function assays. Furthermore, these proposed studies will identify additional axis regulators through a more targeted microarray screen.
The specific aims are 1) to characterize the role of trim36 by determining the extent of its interaction with the Wnt pathway, 2) to identify biochemical functions of trim36 associated with its role in axis formation, 3) to further characterize the role of exdl2 in dorsal specification and, 4) to identify and characterize additional germ plasm-localized genes as candidates for regulating axis formation. The findings of these proposed studies are relevant to, and will benefit public health by enhancing the understanding of basic signaling pathways involved in cell and tissue differentiation, which are conserved in human development. Novel insights would be gained into these mechanisms will be an essential step toward improving the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of human birth defects and genetic diseases. Public Health Relevance: The findings of these proposed studies are relevant to, and will benefit public health by enhancing the understanding of basic signaling pathways involved in cell and tissue differentiation, which are con- served in human development. Novel insights would be gained into these mechanisms will be an essential step toward improving the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of human birth defects and genetic diseases.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM083999-03
Application #
7777303
Study Section
Development - 2 Study Section (DEV2)
Program Officer
Haynes, Susan R
Project Start
2008-04-11
Project End
2013-03-31
Budget Start
2010-04-01
Budget End
2011-03-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$278,503
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Iowa
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
062761671
City
Iowa City
State
IA
Country
United States
Zip Code
52242
Oh, Denise; Houston, Douglas W (2017) Role of maternal Xenopus syntabulin in germ plasm aggregation and primordial germ cell specification. Dev Biol 432:237-247
Park, Sookhee; Blaser, Susanne; Marchal, Melissa A et al. (2016) A gradient of maternal Bicaudal-C controls vertebrate embryogenesis via translational repression of mRNAs encoding cell fate regulators. Development 143:864-71
Elliott, Karen L; Houston, Douglas W; Fritzsch, Bernd (2015) Sensory afferent segregation in three-eared frogs resemble the dominance columns observed in three-eyed frogs. Sci Rep 5:8338
Elliott, Karen L; Houston, Douglas W; DeCook, Rhonda et al. (2015) Ear manipulations reveal a critical period for survival and dendritic development at the single-cell level in Mauthner neurons. Dev Neurobiol 75:1339-51
Olson, David J; Oh, Denise; Houston, Douglas W (2015) The dynamics of plus end polarization and microtubule assembly during Xenopus cortical rotation. Dev Biol 401:249-63
Houston, Douglas W (2013) Regulation of cell polarity and RNA localization in vertebrate oocytes. Int Rev Cell Mol Biol 306:127-85
Hulstrand, Alissa M; Houston, Douglas W (2013) Regulation of neurogenesis by Fgf8a requires Cdc42 signaling and a novel Cdc42 effector protein. Dev Biol 382:385-99
Bassuk, Alexander G; Muthuswamy, Lakshmi B; Boland, Riley et al. (2013) Copy number variation analysis implicates the cell polarity gene glypican 5 as a human spina bifida candidate gene. Hum Mol Genet 22:1097-111
Elliott, Karen L; Houston, Douglas W; Fritzsch, Bernd (2013) Transplantation of Xenopus laevis tissues to determine the ability of motor neurons to acquire a novel target. PLoS One 8:e55541
de la Garza, Gabriel; Schleiffarth, Jack Robert; Dunnwald, Martine et al. (2013) Interferon regulatory factor 6 promotes differentiation of the periderm by activating expression of Grainyhead-like 3. J Invest Dermatol 133:68-77

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