A Small Change With a Twist Ending: A Single Residue in EGF-CFC Drives Bilaterian Asymmetry.

ABSTRACT: Asymmetries are essential for proper organization and function of organ systems. Genetic studies in bilaterians have shown signaling through the Nodal/Smad2 pathway plays a key, conserved role in the establishment of body asymmetries. Although the main molecular players in the network for the establishment of left-right asymmetry (LRA) have been deeply described in deuterostomes, little is known about the regulation of Nodal signaling in spiralians. Here, we identified orthologs of the egf-cfc gene, a master regulator of the Nodal pathway in vertebrates, in several invertebrate species, which includes the first evidence of its presence in non-deuterostomes. Our functional experiments indicate that despite being present, egf-cfc does not play a role in the establishment of LRA in gastropods

SUBMITTER: Truchado-Garcia M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9907556 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature