biostudies-literaturePinho SNIMH NIH HHSMedical Research CouncilBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Councile19157https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC3084772biostudies-literatureUnknown6(4)The amniote organizer (Hensen's node) can induce a complete nervous system when grafted into a peripheral region of a host embryo. Although BMP inhibition has been implicated in neural induction, non-neural cells cannot respond to BMP antagonists unless previously exposed to a node graft for at least 5 hours before BMP inhibitors. To define signals and responses during the first 5 hours of node signals, a differential screen was conducted. Here we describe three early response genes: two of them, Asterix and Obelix, encode previously undescribed proteins of unknown function but Obelix appears to be a nuclear RNA-binding protein. The third is TrkC, a neurotrophin receptor. All three genes are induced by a node graft within 4-5 hours but they differ in the extent to which they are inducible PloS oneDistinct steps of neural induction revealed by Asterix, Obelix and TrkC, genes induced by different signals from the organizer.PMC3084772R01 MH060156R01MH60156G0400559953782Sherlock WTSheng GPinho SKhan MStower MJStern CDSimonsson PRStreit ATrevers KEfalseDistinct steps of neural induction revealed by Asterix, Obelix and TrkC, genes induced by different signals from the organizer.The amniote organizer (Hensen's node) can induce a complete nervous system when grafted into a peripheral region of a host embryo. Although BMP inhibition has been implicated in neural induction, non-neural cells cannot respond to BMP antagonists unless previously exposed to a node graft for at least 5 hours before BMP inhibitors. To define signals and responses during the first 5 hours of node signals, a differential screen was conducted. Here we describe three early response genes: two of them, Asterix and Obelix, encode previously undescribed proteins of unknown function but Obelix appears to be a nuclear RNA-binding protein. The third is TrkC, a neurotrophin receptor. All three genes are induced by a node graft within 4-5 hours but they differ in the extent to which they are inducible 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z2011 Apr2025-04-18T18:50:49.483Z2019-03-26T23:13:25ZS-EPMC30847722155947210.1371/journal.pone.0019157