Pleiotropic effects of Sox2 during the development of the zebrafish epithalamus.

The zebrafish epithalamus is part of the diencephalon and encompasses three major components: the pineal, the parapineal and the habenular nuclei. Using sox2 knockdown, we show here that this key transcriptional regulator has pleiotropic effects during the development of these structures. Sox2 negat...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sofia Pavlou, Katy Astell, Ioannis Kasioulis, Milica Gakovic, Richard Baldock, Veronica van Heyningen, Pedro Coutinho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0087546
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850162324558577664
author Sofia Pavlou
Katy Astell
Ioannis Kasioulis
Milica Gakovic
Richard Baldock
Veronica van Heyningen
Pedro Coutinho
author_facet Sofia Pavlou
Katy Astell
Ioannis Kasioulis
Milica Gakovic
Richard Baldock
Veronica van Heyningen
Pedro Coutinho
author_sort Sofia Pavlou
collection DOAJ
description The zebrafish epithalamus is part of the diencephalon and encompasses three major components: the pineal, the parapineal and the habenular nuclei. Using sox2 knockdown, we show here that this key transcriptional regulator has pleiotropic effects during the development of these structures. Sox2 negatively regulates pineal neurogenesis. Also, Sox2 is identified as the unknown factor responsible for pineal photoreceptor prepatterning and performs this function independently of the BMP signaling. The correct levels of sox2 are critical for the functionally important asymmetrical positioning of the parapineal organ and for the migration of parapineal cells as a coherent structure. Deviations from this strict control result in defects associated with abnormal habenular laterality, which we have documented and quantified in sox2 morphants.
format Article
id doaj-art-a3754b0f6c874e88bdae23fa2955d6ff
institution OA Journals
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2014-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-a3754b0f6c874e88bdae23fa2955d6ff2025-08-20T02:22:37ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0191e8754610.1371/journal.pone.0087546Pleiotropic effects of Sox2 during the development of the zebrafish epithalamus.Sofia PavlouKaty AstellIoannis KasioulisMilica GakovicRichard BaldockVeronica van HeyningenPedro CoutinhoThe zebrafish epithalamus is part of the diencephalon and encompasses three major components: the pineal, the parapineal and the habenular nuclei. Using sox2 knockdown, we show here that this key transcriptional regulator has pleiotropic effects during the development of these structures. Sox2 negatively regulates pineal neurogenesis. Also, Sox2 is identified as the unknown factor responsible for pineal photoreceptor prepatterning and performs this function independently of the BMP signaling. The correct levels of sox2 are critical for the functionally important asymmetrical positioning of the parapineal organ and for the migration of parapineal cells as a coherent structure. Deviations from this strict control result in defects associated with abnormal habenular laterality, which we have documented and quantified in sox2 morphants.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0087546
spellingShingle Sofia Pavlou
Katy Astell
Ioannis Kasioulis
Milica Gakovic
Richard Baldock
Veronica van Heyningen
Pedro Coutinho
Pleiotropic effects of Sox2 during the development of the zebrafish epithalamus.
PLoS ONE
title Pleiotropic effects of Sox2 during the development of the zebrafish epithalamus.
title_full Pleiotropic effects of Sox2 during the development of the zebrafish epithalamus.
title_fullStr Pleiotropic effects of Sox2 during the development of the zebrafish epithalamus.
title_full_unstemmed Pleiotropic effects of Sox2 during the development of the zebrafish epithalamus.
title_short Pleiotropic effects of Sox2 during the development of the zebrafish epithalamus.
title_sort pleiotropic effects of sox2 during the development of the zebrafish epithalamus
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0087546
work_keys_str_mv AT sofiapavlou pleiotropiceffectsofsox2duringthedevelopmentofthezebrafishepithalamus
AT katyastell pleiotropiceffectsofsox2duringthedevelopmentofthezebrafishepithalamus
AT ioanniskasioulis pleiotropiceffectsofsox2duringthedevelopmentofthezebrafishepithalamus
AT milicagakovic pleiotropiceffectsofsox2duringthedevelopmentofthezebrafishepithalamus
AT richardbaldock pleiotropiceffectsofsox2duringthedevelopmentofthezebrafishepithalamus
AT veronicavanheyningen pleiotropiceffectsofsox2duringthedevelopmentofthezebrafishepithalamus
AT pedrocoutinho pleiotropiceffectsofsox2duringthedevelopmentofthezebrafishepithalamus