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First published online March 1, 2007
doi: 10.1242/10.1242/dev.002220

Development 134, 1203-1219 (2007)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2007
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ERK- and JNK-signalling regulate gene networks that stimulate metamorphosis and apoptosis in tail tissues of ascidian tadpoles

Jean-Philippe Chambon1,*,{dagger}, Akie Nakayama1,2,*, Katsumi Takamura3, Alex McDougall4 and Noriyuki Satoh1,{dagger}

1 Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
2 Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneya-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan.
3 Department of Marine Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Science and Biotechnology, Fukuyama University, Fukuyama 729-0292, Japan.
4 UMR 7009, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Biologie du Développement, Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche-sur-Mer, quai de la Darse-06234 Villefranche-sur-Mer Cedex, France.

{dagger} Authors for correspondence (e-mail: jean-philippe.chambon{at}obs-vlfr.fr; satoh{at}ascidian.zool.kyoto-u.ac.jp)

Accepted 11 January 2007

In ascidian tadpoles, metamorphosis is triggered by a polarized wave of apoptosis, via mechanisms that are largely unknown. We demonstrate that the MAP kinases ERK and JNK are both required for the wave of apoptosis and metamorphosis. By employing a gene-profiling-based approach, we identified the network of genes controlled by either ERK or JNK activity that stimulate the onset of apoptosis. This approach identified a gene network involved in hormonal signalling, in innate immunity, in cell-cell communication and in the extracellular matrix. Through gene silencing, we show that Ci-sushi, a cell-cell communication protein controlled by JNK activity, is required for the wave of apoptosis that precedes tail regression. These observations lead us to propose a model of metamorphosis whereby JNK activity in the CNS induces apoptosis in several adjacent tissues that compose the tail by inducing the expression of genes such as Ci-sushi.

Key words: Ascidian tadpoles, Apoptosis, Ci-sushi, Metamorphosis, MAPK


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Metamorphosis - the end of a tail

Development 2007 134: e603. [Full Text]  





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