An active torque dipole across tissue layers drives avian left-right symmetry breaking

Abstract

Unlike in mice, frogs, and fish, left-right (L/R) body axis formation in avian embryos does not arise from the chiral beat of cilia. Instead, a counter-clockwise tissue rotation around Hensens node, the organizer of amniote development, repositions cells expressing L/R sidedness genes. Yet, the physical origin of this rotation remains elusive. Here, we provide evidence that in quail embryos, the node tissue generates an active chiral torque of [~]6{micro}N{micro}m to drive the chiral tissue flow. Microsurgery experiments reveal that this torque depends on actomyosin molecular activity, is generated within the dorsal node tissue, and requires the underlying ventral meso-/endoderm to act as a mechanical substrate sustaining the counter-torque. We conclude that a dorsoventrally oriented tissue-scale active torque dipole at the node translates cell-scale chirality to organismal L/R asymmetry, adding a mechanical dimension to the canonical function of embryonic organizers as signaling hubs.