Distinct gene regulatory dynamics drive skeletogenic cell fate convergence during vertebrate embryogenesis

Abstract Cell type repertoires have expanded extensively in metazoan animals, with some clade-specific cells being crucial to evolutionary success. A prime example are the skeletogenic cells of vertebrates. Depending on anatomical location, these cells originate from three different precursor lineag...

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Main Authors: Menghan Wang, Ana Di Pietro-Torres, Christian Feregrino, Maëva Luxey, Chloé Moreau, Sabrina Fischer, Antoine Fages, Danilo Ritz, Patrick Tschopp
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57480-8
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author Menghan Wang
Ana Di Pietro-Torres
Christian Feregrino
Maëva Luxey
Chloé Moreau
Sabrina Fischer
Antoine Fages
Danilo Ritz
Patrick Tschopp
author_facet Menghan Wang
Ana Di Pietro-Torres
Christian Feregrino
Maëva Luxey
Chloé Moreau
Sabrina Fischer
Antoine Fages
Danilo Ritz
Patrick Tschopp
author_sort Menghan Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Cell type repertoires have expanded extensively in metazoan animals, with some clade-specific cells being crucial to evolutionary success. A prime example are the skeletogenic cells of vertebrates. Depending on anatomical location, these cells originate from three different precursor lineages, yet they converge developmentally towards similar cellular phenotypes. Furthermore, their ‘skeletogenic competency’ arose at distinct evolutionary timepoints, thus questioning to what extent different skeletal body parts rely on truly homologous cell types. Here, we investigate how lineage-specific molecular properties are integrated at the gene regulatory level, to allow for skeletogenic cell fate convergence. Using single-cell functional genomics, we find that distinct transcription factor profiles are inherited from the three precursor states and incorporated at lineage-specific enhancer elements. This lineage-specific regulatory logic suggests that these regionalized skeletogenic cells are distinct cell types, rendering them amenable to individualized selection, to define adaptive morphologies and biomaterial properties in different parts of the vertebrate skeleton.
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issn 2041-1723
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publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-2b95e231d58449d9ae4292f04e7a8a122025-08-20T03:05:55ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-03-0116111710.1038/s41467-025-57480-8Distinct gene regulatory dynamics drive skeletogenic cell fate convergence during vertebrate embryogenesisMenghan Wang0Ana Di Pietro-Torres1Christian Feregrino2Maëva Luxey3Chloé Moreau4Sabrina Fischer5Antoine Fages6Danilo Ritz7Patrick Tschopp8Zoology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of BaselZoology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of BaselZoology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of BaselZoology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of BaselZoology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of BaselZoology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of BaselZoology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of BaselProteomics Core Facility, Biozentrum, University of BaselZoology, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of BaselAbstract Cell type repertoires have expanded extensively in metazoan animals, with some clade-specific cells being crucial to evolutionary success. A prime example are the skeletogenic cells of vertebrates. Depending on anatomical location, these cells originate from three different precursor lineages, yet they converge developmentally towards similar cellular phenotypes. Furthermore, their ‘skeletogenic competency’ arose at distinct evolutionary timepoints, thus questioning to what extent different skeletal body parts rely on truly homologous cell types. Here, we investigate how lineage-specific molecular properties are integrated at the gene regulatory level, to allow for skeletogenic cell fate convergence. Using single-cell functional genomics, we find that distinct transcription factor profiles are inherited from the three precursor states and incorporated at lineage-specific enhancer elements. This lineage-specific regulatory logic suggests that these regionalized skeletogenic cells are distinct cell types, rendering them amenable to individualized selection, to define adaptive morphologies and biomaterial properties in different parts of the vertebrate skeleton.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57480-8
spellingShingle Menghan Wang
Ana Di Pietro-Torres
Christian Feregrino
Maëva Luxey
Chloé Moreau
Sabrina Fischer
Antoine Fages
Danilo Ritz
Patrick Tschopp
Distinct gene regulatory dynamics drive skeletogenic cell fate convergence during vertebrate embryogenesis
Nature Communications
title Distinct gene regulatory dynamics drive skeletogenic cell fate convergence during vertebrate embryogenesis
title_full Distinct gene regulatory dynamics drive skeletogenic cell fate convergence during vertebrate embryogenesis
title_fullStr Distinct gene regulatory dynamics drive skeletogenic cell fate convergence during vertebrate embryogenesis
title_full_unstemmed Distinct gene regulatory dynamics drive skeletogenic cell fate convergence during vertebrate embryogenesis
title_short Distinct gene regulatory dynamics drive skeletogenic cell fate convergence during vertebrate embryogenesis
title_sort distinct gene regulatory dynamics drive skeletogenic cell fate convergence during vertebrate embryogenesis
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57480-8
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