PUBLICATION

Differential Diffusivity of Nodal and Lefty Underlies a Reaction-Diffusion Patterning System

Authors
Müller, P., Rogers, K.W., Jordan, B.M., Lee, J.S., Robson, D., Ramanathan, S., Schier, A.F.
ID
ZDB-PUB-120416-12
Date
2012
Source
Science (New York, N.Y.)   336(6082): 721-724 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Lee, Joon, Rogers, Katherine, Schier, Alexander
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Blastula/metabolism*
  • Body Patterning*
  • Diffusion
  • Embryonic Development
  • Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching
  • Half-Life
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/genetics
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/metabolism*
  • Kinetics
  • Left-Right Determination Factors/genetics
  • Left-Right Determination Factors/metabolism*
  • Models, Biological
  • Nodal Signaling Ligands/genetics
  • Nodal Signaling Ligands/metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins/metabolism
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
PubMed
22499809 Full text @ Science
Abstract

Biological systems involving short-range activators and long-range inhibitors can generate complex patterns. Reaction-diffusion models postulate that differences in signaling range are caused by differential diffusivity of inhibitor and activator. Other models suggest that differential clearance underlies different signaling ranges. To test these models, we measured the biophysical properties of the Nodal/Lefty activator/inhibitor system during zebrafish embryogenesis. Analysis of Nodal and Lefty gradients reveals that Nodals have a shorter range than Lefty proteins. Pulse-labeling analysis indicates that Nodals and Leftys have similar clearance kinetics, whereas fluorescence recovery assays reveal that Leftys have a higher effective diffusion coefficient than Nodals. These results indicate that differential diffusivity is the major determinant of the differences in Nodal/Lefty range and provide biophysical support for reaction-diffusion models of activator/inhibitor-mediated patterning.

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