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

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 f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:EvoDevo 2023-06, Vol.14 (1), p.10-13, Article 10
Main Authors: Massri, Abdull Jesus, McDonald, Brennan, Wray, Gregory A, McClay, David R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cell fate
Cell lineage
Circuits
Datasets
DNA binding proteins
Embryonic specification
Embryos
Evolutionary mechanism
Feedback
Feedback circuits
Gene expression
Gene regulatory networks
Genes
Genetic research
Genomes
Morphogenesis
Mutation
Sea urchin development
Signal transduction
Species
Transcription factors
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Summary: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.
ISSN:2041-9139
2041-9139
DOI:10.1186/s13227-023-00214-y