Expression of PCSK and Proteolytic Processing of BMP Propeptide on Dorso-Ventral Patterning of Helobdella Neuroectoderm: a Preliminary Study
Date Issued
2015
Date
2015
Author(s)
Tao, Wei-Yu
Abstract
Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) morphogen is known to play a vital role in body axis patterning during embryogenesis. Unlike BMP4/Dpp functions as a morphogen patterning embryo dorsoventral (DV) axis in vertebrate and fly, BMP5-8 in leech, the key BMP signaling ligand specifies DV patterning, acts in a “cell-cell contact” fashion. Evidences indicate that the ligand BMP proprotein’s differential proteolytic processing by proprotein convertases (PCs or PCSKs) influences its signaling range. Further, different signaling ranges were found between teloblast lineages (N/Q and O/P), above which make the proteolytic processing of BMP5-8 in leech embryo DV patterning an unsolved question. To characterize the role of PCSK-mediated cleavage in leech DV patterning, I carried out the following experiments. First, by reverse transcription-PCR and whole mount in situ hybridization, expressions of all 12 PCSK-related genes in leech have been confirmed and localized at embryogenesis stage 8. Second, a cell surface-linked indicator of proteolysis assay (CLIP) is prepared to test PC activity in vivo. Third, ectopic expression of cleavage site-mutated BMP5-8 in leech has been used. The above results indicate that the proteolytic processing of BMP5-8 is not required for development of normal neuroectodermal, which is also a key event of body axis formation.
Subjects
Leech
Helobdella
BMP
Dorsoventral patterning
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin- like
Type
thesis
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