IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v4y2013i1d10.1038_ncomms3754.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Nodal-independent and tissue-intrinsic mechanism controls heart-looping chirality

Author

Listed:
  • Emily S. Noël

    (Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht)

  • Manon Verhoeven

    (Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht)

  • Anne Karine Lagendijk

    (Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht
    Present address: Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia)

  • Federico Tessadori

    (Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht)

  • Kelly Smith

    (Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht
    Present address: Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia)

  • Suma Choorapoikayil

    (Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht
    Present address: Université Montpellier II, 34095 Montpellier, Cedex 5, France)

  • Jeroen den Hertog

    (Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht)

  • Jeroen Bakkers

    (Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht
    Interuniversity Cardiology Institute of the Netherlands)

Abstract

Breaking left–right symmetry in bilateria is a major event during embryo development that is required for asymmetric organ position, directional organ looping and lateralized organ function in the adult. Asymmetric expression of Nodal-related genes is hypothesized to be the driving force behind regulation of organ laterality. Here we identify a Nodal-independent mechanism that drives asymmetric heart looping in zebrafish embryos. In a unique mutant defective for the Nodal-related southpaw gene, preferential dextral looping in the heart is maintained, whereas gut and brain asymmetries are randomized. As genetic and pharmacological inhibition of Nodal signalling does not abolish heart asymmetry, a yet undiscovered mechanism controls heart chirality. This mechanism is tissue intrinsic, as explanted hearts maintain ex vivo retain chiral looping behaviour and require actin polymerization and myosin II activity. We find that Nodal signalling regulates actin gene expression, supporting a model in which Nodal signalling amplifies this tissue-intrinsic mechanism of heart looping.

Suggested Citation

  • Emily S. Noël & Manon Verhoeven & Anne Karine Lagendijk & Federico Tessadori & Kelly Smith & Suma Choorapoikayil & Jeroen den Hertog & Jeroen Bakkers, 2013. "A Nodal-independent and tissue-intrinsic mechanism controls heart-looping chirality," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms3754
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3754
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms3754
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/ncomms3754?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms3754. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.