Opposing roles for Bmp signalling during the development of electrosensory lateral line organs

The lateral line system enables fishes and aquatic-stage amphibians to detect local water movement via mechanosensory hair cells in neuromasts, and many species to detect weak electric fields via electroreceptors (modified hair cells) in ampullary organs. Both neuromasts and ampullary organs develop...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alexander S Campbell, Martin Minařík, Roman Franěk, Michaela Vazačová, Miloš Havelka, David Gela, Martin Pšenička, Clare VH Baker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: eLife Sciences Publications Ltd 2025-01-01
Series:eLife
Subjects:
Online Access:https://elifesciences.org/articles/99798
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850089067859935232
author Alexander S Campbell
Martin Minařík
Roman Franěk
Michaela Vazačová
Miloš Havelka
David Gela
Martin Pšenička
Clare VH Baker
author_facet Alexander S Campbell
Martin Minařík
Roman Franěk
Michaela Vazačová
Miloš Havelka
David Gela
Martin Pšenička
Clare VH Baker
author_sort Alexander S Campbell
collection DOAJ
description The lateral line system enables fishes and aquatic-stage amphibians to detect local water movement via mechanosensory hair cells in neuromasts, and many species to detect weak electric fields via electroreceptors (modified hair cells) in ampullary organs. Both neuromasts and ampullary organs develop from lateral line placodes, but the molecular mechanisms underpinning ampullary organ formation are understudied relative to neuromasts. This is because the ancestral lineages of zebrafish (teleosts) and Xenopus (frogs) independently lost electroreception. We identified Bmp5 as a promising candidate via differential RNA-seq in an electroreceptive ray-finned fish, the Mississippi paddlefish (Polyodon spathula; Modrell et al., 2017, eLife 6: e24197). In an experimentally tractable relative, the sterlet sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus), we found that Bmp5 and four other Bmp pathway genes are expressed in the developing lateral line, and that Bmp signalling is active. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis targeting Bmp5 in G0-injected sterlet embryos resulted in fewer ampullary organs. Conversely, when Bmp signalling was inhibited by DMH1 treatment shortly before the formation of ampullary organ primordia, supernumerary ampullary organs developed. These data suggest that Bmp5 promotes ampullary organ development, whereas Bmp signalling via another ligand(s) prevents their overproduction. Taken together, this demonstrates opposing roles for Bmp signalling during ampullary organ formation.
format Article
id doaj-art-ed135d18d90a4bf4b7ae43862d4b0f0e
institution DOAJ
issn 2050-084X
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
record_format Article
series eLife
spelling doaj-art-ed135d18d90a4bf4b7ae43862d4b0f0e2025-08-20T02:42:52ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2025-01-011410.7554/eLife.99798Opposing roles for Bmp signalling during the development of electrosensory lateral line organsAlexander S Campbell0https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1539-214XMartin Minařík1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6660-0031Roman Franěk2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3464-1872Michaela Vazačová3Miloš Havelka4David Gela5Martin Pšenička6Clare VH Baker7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4434-3107Department of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomDepartment of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomFaculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech RepublicFaculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech RepublicFaculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech RepublicFaculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech RepublicFaculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physiology, Development & Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomThe lateral line system enables fishes and aquatic-stage amphibians to detect local water movement via mechanosensory hair cells in neuromasts, and many species to detect weak electric fields via electroreceptors (modified hair cells) in ampullary organs. Both neuromasts and ampullary organs develop from lateral line placodes, but the molecular mechanisms underpinning ampullary organ formation are understudied relative to neuromasts. This is because the ancestral lineages of zebrafish (teleosts) and Xenopus (frogs) independently lost electroreception. We identified Bmp5 as a promising candidate via differential RNA-seq in an electroreceptive ray-finned fish, the Mississippi paddlefish (Polyodon spathula; Modrell et al., 2017, eLife 6: e24197). In an experimentally tractable relative, the sterlet sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus), we found that Bmp5 and four other Bmp pathway genes are expressed in the developing lateral line, and that Bmp signalling is active. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis targeting Bmp5 in G0-injected sterlet embryos resulted in fewer ampullary organs. Conversely, when Bmp signalling was inhibited by DMH1 treatment shortly before the formation of ampullary organ primordia, supernumerary ampullary organs developed. These data suggest that Bmp5 promotes ampullary organ development, whereas Bmp signalling via another ligand(s) prevents their overproduction. Taken together, this demonstrates opposing roles for Bmp signalling during ampullary organ formation.https://elifesciences.org/articles/99798lateral lineampullary organsneuromastsBmpsterlet sturgeonAcipenser ruthenus
spellingShingle Alexander S Campbell
Martin Minařík
Roman Franěk
Michaela Vazačová
Miloš Havelka
David Gela
Martin Pšenička
Clare VH Baker
Opposing roles for Bmp signalling during the development of electrosensory lateral line organs
eLife
lateral line
ampullary organs
neuromasts
Bmp
sterlet sturgeon
Acipenser ruthenus
title Opposing roles for Bmp signalling during the development of electrosensory lateral line organs
title_full Opposing roles for Bmp signalling during the development of electrosensory lateral line organs
title_fullStr Opposing roles for Bmp signalling during the development of electrosensory lateral line organs
title_full_unstemmed Opposing roles for Bmp signalling during the development of electrosensory lateral line organs
title_short Opposing roles for Bmp signalling during the development of electrosensory lateral line organs
title_sort opposing roles for bmp signalling during the development of electrosensory lateral line organs
topic lateral line
ampullary organs
neuromasts
Bmp
sterlet sturgeon
Acipenser ruthenus
url https://elifesciences.org/articles/99798
work_keys_str_mv AT alexanderscampbell opposingrolesforbmpsignallingduringthedevelopmentofelectrosensorylaterallineorgans
AT martinminarik opposingrolesforbmpsignallingduringthedevelopmentofelectrosensorylaterallineorgans
AT romanfranek opposingrolesforbmpsignallingduringthedevelopmentofelectrosensorylaterallineorgans
AT michaelavazacova opposingrolesforbmpsignallingduringthedevelopmentofelectrosensorylaterallineorgans
AT miloshavelka opposingrolesforbmpsignallingduringthedevelopmentofelectrosensorylaterallineorgans
AT davidgela opposingrolesforbmpsignallingduringthedevelopmentofelectrosensorylaterallineorgans
AT martinpsenicka opposingrolesforbmpsignallingduringthedevelopmentofelectrosensorylaterallineorgans
AT clarevhbaker opposingrolesforbmpsignallingduringthedevelopmentofelectrosensorylaterallineorgans