Bimodal function of chromatin remodeler Hmga1 in neural crest induction and Wnt-dependent emigration.

ABSTRACT: During gastrulation, neural crest cells are specified at the neural plate border, as characterized by Pax7 expression. Using single-cell RNA sequencing coupled with high-resolution in situ hybridization to identify novel transcriptional regulators, we show that chromatin remodeler Hmga1 is highly expressed prior to specification and maintained in migrating chick neural crest cells. Temporally controlled CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knockouts uncovered two distinct functions of Hmga1 in neural crest development. At the neural plate border, Hmga1 regulates Pax7-dependent neural crest lineage specification. At premigratory stages, a second role manifests where Hmga1 loss reduces cranial crest emigration from the dorsal neural tube independent of Pax7.

SUBMITTER: Gandhi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7591248 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature