Preformation and epigenesis converge to specify primordial germ cell fate in the early Drosophila embryo.

A critical step in animal development is the specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs), the precursors of the germline. Two seemingly mutually exclusive mechanisms are implemented across the animal kingdom: epigenesis and preformation. In epigenesis, PGC specification is non-autonomous and depen...

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Main Authors: Megan M Colonnetta, Yogesh Goyal, Heath E Johnson, Sapna Syal, Paul Schedl, Girish Deshpande
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-01-01
Series:PLoS Genetics
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1010002&type=printable
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author Megan M Colonnetta
Yogesh Goyal
Heath E Johnson
Sapna Syal
Paul Schedl
Girish Deshpande
author_facet Megan M Colonnetta
Yogesh Goyal
Heath E Johnson
Sapna Syal
Paul Schedl
Girish Deshpande
author_sort Megan M Colonnetta
collection DOAJ
description A critical step in animal development is the specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs), the precursors of the germline. Two seemingly mutually exclusive mechanisms are implemented across the animal kingdom: epigenesis and preformation. In epigenesis, PGC specification is non-autonomous and depends on extrinsic signaling pathways. The BMP pathway provides the key PGC specification signals in mammals. Preformation is autonomous and mediated by determinants localized within PGCs. In Drosophila, a classic example of preformation, constituents of the germ plasm localized at the embryonic posterior are thought to be both necessary and sufficient for proper determination of PGCs. Contrary to this longstanding model, here we show that these localized determinants are insufficient by themselves to direct PGC specification in blastoderm stage embryos. Instead, we find that the BMP signaling pathway is required at multiple steps during the specification process and functions in conjunction with components of the germ plasm to orchestrate PGC fate.
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publishDate 2022-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
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series PLoS Genetics
spelling doaj-art-e63ae955147f4e3c986e8705df4d3d182025-08-20T02:46:27ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Genetics1553-73901553-74042022-01-01181e101000210.1371/journal.pgen.1010002Preformation and epigenesis converge to specify primordial germ cell fate in the early Drosophila embryo.Megan M ColonnettaYogesh GoyalHeath E JohnsonSapna SyalPaul SchedlGirish DeshpandeA critical step in animal development is the specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs), the precursors of the germline. Two seemingly mutually exclusive mechanisms are implemented across the animal kingdom: epigenesis and preformation. In epigenesis, PGC specification is non-autonomous and depends on extrinsic signaling pathways. The BMP pathway provides the key PGC specification signals in mammals. Preformation is autonomous and mediated by determinants localized within PGCs. In Drosophila, a classic example of preformation, constituents of the germ plasm localized at the embryonic posterior are thought to be both necessary and sufficient for proper determination of PGCs. Contrary to this longstanding model, here we show that these localized determinants are insufficient by themselves to direct PGC specification in blastoderm stage embryos. Instead, we find that the BMP signaling pathway is required at multiple steps during the specification process and functions in conjunction with components of the germ plasm to orchestrate PGC fate.https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1010002&type=printable
spellingShingle Megan M Colonnetta
Yogesh Goyal
Heath E Johnson
Sapna Syal
Paul Schedl
Girish Deshpande
Preformation and epigenesis converge to specify primordial germ cell fate in the early Drosophila embryo.
PLoS Genetics
title Preformation and epigenesis converge to specify primordial germ cell fate in the early Drosophila embryo.
title_full Preformation and epigenesis converge to specify primordial germ cell fate in the early Drosophila embryo.
title_fullStr Preformation and epigenesis converge to specify primordial germ cell fate in the early Drosophila embryo.
title_full_unstemmed Preformation and epigenesis converge to specify primordial germ cell fate in the early Drosophila embryo.
title_short Preformation and epigenesis converge to specify primordial germ cell fate in the early Drosophila embryo.
title_sort preformation and epigenesis converge to specify primordial germ cell fate in the early drosophila embryo
url https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1010002&type=printable
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