Uncoupling heart cell specification and migration in the simple chordateCiona intestinalis | Zendy

Brad Davidson | Zendy; Weiyang Shi | Zendy; Michael Levine | Zendy

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Uncoupling heart cell specification and migration in the simple chordateCiona intestinalis

Author(s) -

Brad Davidson,

Weiyang Shi,

Michael Levine

Publication year - 2005

Publication title -

development

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 3.754

H-Index - 325

eISSN - 1477-9129

pISSN - 0950-1991

DOI - 10.1242/dev.02051

Subject(s) - ciona , chordate , ciona intestinalis , biology , enhancer , mesoderm , transcription factor , microbiology and biotechnology , computational biology , anatomy , gene , genetics , genome , embryonic stem cell

The bHLH transcription factor Mesp has an essential but ambiguous role in early chordate heart development. Here, we employ the genetic and morphological simplicity of the basal chordate Ciona intestinalis to elucidate Mesp regulation and function. Characterization of a minimal cardiac enhancer for the Ciona Mesp gene demonstrated direct activation by the T-box transcription factor Tbx6c. The Mesp enhancer was fused to GFP, permitting high-resolution visualization of heart cells as they migrate and divide. The enhancer was also used to drive targeted expression of an activator form of Mesp, which induces heart formation without migration. We discuss the implications of Tbx6-Mesp interactions for the evolution of cardiac mesoderm in invertebrates and vertebrates.

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