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

dc.contributor.author

Massri, Abdull Jesus

dc.contributor.author

McDonald, Brennan

dc.contributor.author

Wray, Gregory A

dc.contributor.author

McClay, David R

dc.date.accessioned

2023-07-05T15:13:23Z

dc.date.available

2023-07-05T15:13:23Z

dc.date.issued

2023-06

dc.date.updated

2023-07-05T15:13:19Z

dc.description.abstract

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.

dc.identifier

10.1186/s13227-023-00214-y

dc.identifier.issn

2041-9139

dc.identifier.issn

2041-9139

dc.identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10161/28310

dc.language

eng

dc.publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

dc.relation.ispartof

EvoDevo

dc.relation.isversionof

10.1186/s13227-023-00214-y

dc.subject

Embryonic specification

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Evolutionary mechanism

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Feedback circuits

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Gene regulatory networks

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Sea urchin development

dc.title

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

dc.type

Journal article

duke.contributor.orcid

Wray, Gregory A|0000-0001-5634-5081

duke.contributor.orcid

McClay, David R|0000-0001-8824-2183

pubs.begin-page

10

pubs.issue

1

pubs.organisational-group

Duke

pubs.organisational-group

School of Medicine

pubs.organisational-group

Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

pubs.organisational-group

Basic Science Departments

pubs.organisational-group

Biostatistics & Bioinformatics

pubs.organisational-group

Cell Biology

pubs.organisational-group

Neurobiology

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Biology

pubs.organisational-group

Evolutionary Anthropology

pubs.organisational-group

Regeneration Next Initiative

pubs.publication-status

Published

pubs.volume

14

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