Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation

Transcriptional control of C. elegans male tail tip morphogenesis by DMD-3

This study identifies DMD-3 target genes and regulatory mechanisms involved in C. elegans male tail tip morphogenesis using ChIP-seq and functional analysis.

Human ectodermal organoids reveal the cellular origin of DiGeorge Syndrome

The paper uses human ectodermal organoids to study DiGeorge Syndrome, showing defects in neural crest development and identifying key genes involved.

Evolution of the Jawed Vertebrate (Gnathostomata) Stomach through Gene Repertoire Loss: Findings from Agastric Species

The paper investigates gene loss in agastric vertebrates, finding no correlation between Gast and Grpr loss with the agastric phenotype and identifying retained gastric genes in echidnas.

FGF receptor modulates planar cell polarity in the neuroectoderm via Vangl2 tyrosine phosphorylation

This study shows FGFR1 modulates PCP in the neuroectoderm by phosphorylating Vangl2, disrupting its interaction with Prickle and PTK7.

Generative model for the first cell fate bifurcation inmammalian development

The paper develops a generative model to study the first cell fate bifurcation in mammalian development, revealing stochastic dynamics and temporal heterogeneity in key transcription factors.

Evolution of threespine stickleback dorsal spines via hoxdb gene regulation

This study identifies cis-regulatory changes in the hoxdb gene cluster as the mechanism underlying parallel evolution of dorsal spine reduction in threespine stickleback fish.

Noise-driven morphogenesis independent of transcriptional regulatory programs

This paper proposes a new framework for development that emphasizes stochastic gene expression as a driving force rather than a noise, using reinforcement learning analogies to guide cell fates.

Protein sequence evolution underlies interspecies incompatibility of a cell fate determinant

This study identifies the OSK domain of D. virilis Oskar as the cause of interspecies incompatibility with D. melanogaster Oskar, linking protein sequence evolution to functional divergence.

Fold-and-fuse neurulation in zebrafish requires Vangl2

This study shows zebrafish anterior neurulation uses a fold-and-fuse mechanism similar to mammals, and vangl2 loss causes neural tube defects by disrupting neural fold fusion.

Meteorins regulate the formation of the left-right organizer and the establishment of vertebrate body asymmetry

This study identifies a role for the Meteorin protein family in the formation of the left-right organizer and the establishment of vertebrate body asymmetry during embryonic development.

Activation of a Src-JNK pathway in unscheduled endocycling cells of the Drosophila wing disc induces a chronic wounding response

The paper investigates how Drosophila tissues respond to unscheduled endocycling cells by activating a Src-JNK pathway, leading to a chronic wounding response that resembles wound healing but persists due to resistance to apoptosis.

Dynamic Functional Pathway Development in Type 1 Spinal Interneurons: Stage-specific roles of retinoic acid activity

The paper uses single-cell RNA sequencing to map the developmental trajectory of dI1 spinal interneurons in quail, revealing stage-specific roles of retinoic acid and BMP signaling.

Somatic gonad morphogenesis in C. elegans requires the heterochronic pathway acting through HBL-1

The paper shows that the heterochronic pathway, through HBL-1, is essential for proper gonad morphogenesis in C. elegans, with lin-28 influencing hbl-1 activity partially via lin-46.

A novel function for Prdm12 during neural crest migration reveals a link between Wnt and N-cadherin

This study identifies Prdm12's role in regulating cranial neural crest migration through non-canonical WNT signaling and N-cadherin localization in Xenopus laevis.

Mechanosensitive localization of Diversin highlights its function in vertebrate morphogenesis and planar cell polarity

This study shows Diversin localizes to cell junctions during Xenopus morphogenesis and responds to mechanical forces, influencing planar cell polarity and tissue closure.

Deep homology of a brachyury regulatory syntax and origin of the notochord

The paper identifies an ancient regulatory syntax, SFZE, associated with brachyury across non-chordate and chordate species, suggesting its role in notochord origin through co-option of conserved elements.

Nuclear rerouting of paracrine Fgf3 in source cells represses target genes to pattern morphogen responses

The paper shows that Fgf3 in zebrafish lateral line organogenesis represses target genes through nuclear accumulation, distinct from its extracellular signaling role.

Marsupial single-cell transcriptomics provides an atlas of developmental heterochrony

This study generates the first single-cell transcriptomic atlas of marsupial gastrulation and early organogenesis, revealing accelerated transcriptional programs and novel tissues associated with developmental heterochrony.

Retinoic acid-responsive hox genes in hoxba and hoxbb clusters direct pharyngeal pouch formation in zebrafish

This study identifies RA-responsive Hox genes in zebrafish that are essential for pharyngeal pouch formation and reveal their regulatory relationship with pax1.

Dual role of ZIC2 during neural induction: from pioneer transcription factor to enhancer activator

This study investigates ZIC2's role in neural development, showing it acts as a pioneer transcription factor during pluripotency exit and an enhancer activator during neural induction.

Regulation of mRNA polyadenylation governs mammalian body plan formation in gastruloids

This study identifies mRNA deadenylation as a key mechanism regulating body plan formation in mouse gastruloids by affecting mesoderm and endoderm differentiation.

Calcium transients regulate epithelial integration of multiciliated cells during Xenopus skin development.

This study shows calcium transients, mediated by PLC and calmodulin, are essential for multiciliated cell integration into the epithelium during Xenopus skin development.

A hormonally regulated gating mechanism controls EMT timing to ensure progenitor cell specification occurs prior to epithelial breakdown

The paper identifies ecdysone as a temporal cue that gates EMT timing in Drosophila midgut development, ensuring progenitor cell specification occurs before epithelial breakdown.

The mutual repression between Pax2 and Snail factors regulates the epithelial/mesenchymal state during intermediate mesoderm differentiation

The paper shows that Pax2 and Snail1 repress each other to regulate epithelial/mesenchymal state during intermediate mesoderm differentiation.

A Notch signal required for a morphological novelty in Drosophila has antecedent functions in genital disc eversion

The paper shows that a Notch signaling center required for a new Drosophila genital structure evolved from a pre-existing role in genital disc eversion.

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

The paper identifies an active torque dipole in avian embryos that drives left-right symmetry breaking through tissue rotation.

Comparative single-cell analyses reveal evolutionary repurposing of a conserved gene program in bat wing development

The paper compares bat and mouse limb development using single-cell analyses to show how a conserved gene program is repurposed in bat wing formation.

A toolkit for mapping cell identities in relation to neighbours reveals Notch-dependent heterogeneity within neuromesodermal progenitor populations

The paper introduces a toolkit to analyze cell identity patterning by comparing cells to their neighbors, revealing Notch-dependent heterogeneity in neuromesodermal progenitors.

C. elegans LET-381/FoxF and DMD-4/DMRT control development of the mesodermal HMC endothelial cell

The paper identifies LET-381/FoxF and DMD-4/DMRT as regulators of HMC endothelial cell fate in C. elegans.

The dorsal/ventral subdivision of the hindbrain predates the tunicate/vertebrate split

The paper shows that the dorsal/ventral subdivision of the hindbrain is conserved between tunicates and vertebrates, suggesting an ancient origin of this structure.