Comparative gene expression analysis of avian embryonic facial structures reveals new candidates for human craniofacial disorders.

ABSTRACT: Mammals and birds have common embryological facial structures, and appear to employ the same molecular genetic developmental toolkit. We utilized natural variation found in bird beaks to investigate what genes drive vertebrate facial morphogenesis. We employed cross-species microarrays to describe the molecular genetic signatures, developmental signaling pathways and the spectrum of transcription factor (TF) gene expression changes that differ between cranial neural crest cells in the developing beaks of ducks, quails and chickens. Surprisingly, we observed that the neural crest cells established a species-specific TF gene expression profile that predates morphological differences between the species. A total of 232 genes were differentially expressed between the three species. Twenty-two

SUBMITTER: Brugmann SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2816616 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature