Pitx controls amphioxus asymmetric morphogenesis by promoting left-side development and repressing right-side formation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Left-right (LR) asymmetry is an essential feature of bilateral animals. Studies in vertebrates show that LR asymmetry formation comprises three major steps: symmetry breaking, asymmetric gene expression, and LR morphogenesis. Although much progress has been made in the first two events, mechanisms underlying asymmetric morphogenesis remain largely unknown due to the complex developmental processes deployed by vertebrate organs.

Results

We here addressed this question by studying Pitx gene function in the basal chordate amphioxus whose asymmetric organogenesis, unlike that in vertebrates, occurs essentially in situ and does not rely on cell migration. Pitx null mutation in amphioxus causes loss of all left-sided organs and incomplete ectopic formation of all right-

SUBMITTER: Xing C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8377849 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature