PUBLICATION

Synchrony Dynamics During Initiation, Failure, and Rescue of the Segmentation Clock

Authors
Riedel-Kruse, I.H., Müller, C., and Oates, A.C.
ID
ZDB-PUB-070820-18
Date
2007
Source
Science (New York, N.Y.)   317(5846): 1911-1915 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Oates, Andrew, Riedel-Kruse, Ingmar H.
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Biological Clocks/genetics*
  • Biological Clocks/physiology
  • Body Patterning*/genetics
  • Dipeptides/pharmacology
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/metabolism
  • Embryonic Development*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Gene Regulatory Networks
  • Homeodomain Proteins/genetics
  • Homeodomain Proteins/metabolism
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Mathematics
  • Membrane Proteins/genetics
  • Membrane Proteins/metabolism
  • Mesoderm/physiology
  • Mutation
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense/pharmacology
  • RNA Stability
  • Receptor, Notch1/genetics
  • Receptor, Notch1/metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Somites/physiology
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
PubMed
17702912 Full text @ Science
Abstract
The "segmentation clock" is thought to coordinate sequential segmentation of the body axis in vertebrate embryos. This clock comprises a multi-cellular genetic network of synchronized oscillators, coupled by intercellular Delta/Notch signaling. How this synchrony is established, and how its loss determines the position of segmentation defects in Delta/Notch mutants is unknown. We analyzed the clock's synchrony dynamics by varying strength and timing of Notch coupling in zebrafish embryos using techniques for quantitative perturbation of gene function. We developed a physical theory based on coupled phase oscillators explaining the observed onset and rescue of segmentation defects, the clock's robustness against developmental noise, and a critical point beyond which synchrony decays. We conclude that synchrony among these genetic oscillators can be established by simultaneous initiation and self-organization, and that the segmentation defect position is determined by the difference between coupling strength and noise.
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Mapping