The Evolution of the Wnt Pathway

Holstein, Thomas W.

doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a007922

Cited by 179 publications

(180 citation statements)

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“…ciliatum homologues of eumetazoan developmental regulators. We have searched the S. ciliatum genome and transcriptome sequences for potentially informative developmental regulatory genes, focusing on genes expressed during formation of the endomesoderm in cnidarians 19 , and Wnt and Tgfb pathway components, involved in axial patterning in cnidarians and bilaterians 1,[20][21][22][23][24]26,27 . Many genes involved in body plan patterning in cnidarians and bilaterians are conspicuously absent in Sycon (as they are in Amphimedon): Twist, Snail, FoxA, FoxB, Otx, Dux, Blimp1, Evx, Strabismus, Bicaudal, ElkA, Gsc, Six3/6, FGFs and Sprouty.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Developmental gene expression studies indicate that the gastrodermis is homologous to the bilaterian endoderm and mesoderm, although differences in regulatory networks between them exist [17][18][19] . Expression and function of Wnt genes in the larval posterior and the adult oral end of cnidarians, as well as the posterior end of multiple bilaterians, demonstrate that the main body axis is patterned by the Wnt pathway in both lineages [20][21][22][23][24] . Analysis of the Wnt pathway components expression in the adult Pleurobrachia, demonstrating nested Wnt expression in the oral region, suggests that this feature might also be shared with ctenophores 25 .…”

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confidence: 99%

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Developmental gene expression provides clues to relationships between sponge and eumetazoan body plans

et al. 2014

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Elucidation of macroevolutionary transitions between diverse animal body plans remains a major challenge in evolutionary biology. We address the sponge-eumetazoan transition by analyzing expression of a broad range of eumetazoan developmental regulatory genes in Sycon ciliatum (Calcispongiae). Here we show that many members of surprisingly numerous Wnt and Tgfb gene families are expressed higher or uniquely in the adult apical end and the larval posterior end. Genes involved in formation of the eumetazoan endomesoderm, such as b-catenin, Brachyury and Gata, as well as germline markers Vasa and Pl10, are expressed during formation and maintenance of choanoderm, the feeding epithelium of sponges. Similarity in developmental gene expression between sponges and eumetazoans, especially cnidarians, is consistent with Haeckel's view that body plans of sponges and cnidarians are homologous. These results provide a framework for further studies aimed at deciphering ancestral developmental regulatory networks and their modifications during animal body plans evolution.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Developmental gene expression provides clues to relationships between sponge and eumetazoan body plans

et al. 2014

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“…Wingless‐related integration site (Wnt) patterning across both the oral–aboral and anterior–posterior axes (e.g. Holstein, 2012) may suggest that the primary axis across Eumetazoa is homologous, and similar Wnt patterning across the primary body axis of sponges suggests that the primary body axis across all Metazoa may be homologous (Leininger et al ., 2014). Similarly, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling across the directive and dorso‐ventral axes (Matus et al ., 2006; Genikhovich et al ., 2015) may or may not suggest homology across Eumetazoa.…”

Section: Implications For Developmental Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ediacaran developmental biology

2017

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Rocks of the Ediacaran System (635–541 Ma) preserve fossil evidence of some of the earliest complex macroscopic organisms, many of which have been interpreted as animals. However, the unusual morphologies of some of these organisms have made it difficult to resolve their biological relationships to modern metazoan groups. Alternative competing phylogenetic interpretations have been proposed for Ediacaran taxa, including algae, fungi, lichens, rhizoid protists, and even an extinct higher‐order group (Vendobionta). If a metazoan affinity can be demonstrated for these organisms, as advocated by many researchers, they could prove informative in debates concerning the evolution of the metazoan body axis, the making and breaking of axial symmetries, and the appearance of a metameric body plan. Attempts to decipher members of the enigmatic Ediacaran macrobiota have largely involved study of morphology: comparative analysis of their developmental phases has received little attention. Here we present what is known of ontogeny across the three iconic Ediacaran taxa Charnia masoni, Dickinsonia costata and Pteridinium simplex, together with new ontogenetic data and insights. We use these data and interpretations to re‐evaluate the phylogenetic position of the broader Ediacaran morphogroups to which these taxa are considered to belong (rangeomorphs, dickinsoniomorphs and erniettomorphs). We conclude, based on the available evidence, that the affinities of the rangeomorphs and the dickinsoniomorphs lie within Metazoa.

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“…The WNT signalling pathways are known to play diverse roles in the cell/tissue biology of metazoans (reviewed by [58]). cWNT signalling is initiated by binding of the extracellular WNT ligand to its receptor complex composed of frizzled (FZD) and lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5/6 (LRP5/6) (figure 1b).…”

Section: (B) Canonical Wnt Signallingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phylogenetic evidence for the modular evolution of metazoan signalling pathways

Babonis¹,

Martindale²

2017

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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One contribution of 17 to a theme issue 'Evo-devo in the genomics era, and the origins of morphological diversity'. Communication among cells was paramount to the evolutionary increase in cell type diversity and, ultimately, the origin of large body size. Across the diversity of Metazoa, there are only few conserved cell signalling pathways known to orchestrate the complex cell and tissue interactions regulating development; thus, modification to these few pathways has been responsible for generating diversity during the evolution of animals. Here, we summarize evidence for the origin and putative function of the intracellular, membrane-bound and secreted components of seven metazoan cell signalling pathways with a special focus on early branching metazoans (ctenophores, poriferans, placozoans and cnidarians) and basal unikonts (amoebozoans, fungi, filastereans and choanoflagellates). We highlight the modular incorporation of intra-and extracellular components in each signalling pathway and suggest that increases in the complexity of the extracellular matrix may have further promoted the modulation of cell signalling during metazoan evolution. Most importantly, this updated view of metazoan signalling pathways highlights the need for explicit study of canonical signalling pathway components in taxa that do not operate a complete signalling pathway. Studies like these are critical for developing a deeper understanding of the evolution of cell signalling.This article is part of the themed issue 'Evo-devo in the genomics era, and the origins of morphological diversity'.

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The Evolution of the Wnt Pathway

Cited by 179 publications

References 118 publications

Developmental gene expression provides clues to relationships between sponge and eumetazoan body plans

Developmental gene expression provides clues to relationships between sponge and eumetazoan body plans

Ediacaran developmental biology

Phylogenetic evidence for the modular evolution of metazoan signalling pathways

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