Feedback circuits are numerous in embryonic gene regulatory networks and offer a stabilizing influence on evolution of those networks

EvoDevo

Research

Abdull Jesus Massri¹  Gregory A. Wray¹  Brennan McDonald¹  David R. McClay¹ 

[1]Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 90338, 27708, Durham, NC, USA

关键词: Gene regulatory networks;    Feedback circuits;    Evolutionary mechanism;    Embryonic specification;    Sea urchin development;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13227-023-00214-y

 received in 2022-06-27, accepted in 2023-06-06,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

The developmental gene regulatory networks (dGRNs) of two sea urchin species, Lytechinus variegatus (Lv) and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Sp), have remained remarkably similar despite about 50 million years since a common ancestor. Hundreds of parallel experimental perturbations of transcription factors with similar outcomes support this conclusion. A recent scRNA-seq analysis suggested that the earliest expression of several genes within the dGRNs differs between Lv and Sp. Here, we present a careful reanalysis of the dGRNs in these two species, paying close attention to timing of first expression. We find that initial expression of genes critical for cell fate specification occurs during several compressed time periods in both species. Previously unrecognized feedback circuits are inferred from the temporally corrected dGRNs. Although many of these feedbacks differ in location within the respective GRNs, the overall number is similar between species. We identify several prominent differences in timing of first expression for key developmental regulatory genes; comparison with a third species indicates that these heterochronies likely originated in an unbiased manner with respect to embryonic cell lineage and evolutionary branch. Together, these results suggest that interactions can evolve even within highly conserved dGRNs and that feedback circuits may buffer the effects of heterochronies in the expression of key regulatory genes.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

【 图 表 】

Fig.1

41116_2023_37_Article_IEq160.gif

41116_2023_37_Article_IEq157.gif

41116_2023_37_Article_IEq155.gif

41116_2023_37_Article_IEq154.gif

41116_2023_37_Article_IEq152.gif

41116_2023_37_Article_IEq141.gif

Fig. 2

41116_2023_37_Article_IEq96.gif

41116_2023_37_Article_IEq92.gif

Fig. 1

41116_2023_37_Article_IEq85.gif

41116_2023_37_Article_IEq80.gif

41116_2023_37_Article_IEq78.gif