The role of bHLH genes in ear development and evolution: revisiting a 10-year-old hypothesis

Bernd Fritzsch; Daniel F Eberl; Kirk W Beisel

doi:10.1007/s00018-010-0403-x

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The role of bHLH genes in ear development and evolution: revisiting a 10-year-old hypothesis

Journal article

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The role of bHLH genes in ear development and evolution: revisiting a 10-year-old hypothesis

Bernd Fritzsch, Daniel F Eberl and Kirk W Beisel

Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS, Vol.67(18), pp.3089-3099

09/2010

DOI: 10.1007/s00018-010-0403-x

PMCID: PMC3665285

PMID: 20495996

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Abstract

In mouse ear development, two bHLH genes, Atoh1 and Neurog1, are essential for hair cell and sensory neuron differentiation. Evolution converted the original simple atonal-dependent neurosensory cell formation program of diploblasts into the derived developmental program of vertebrates that generates two neurosensory cell types, the sensory neuron and the sensory hair cell. This transformation was achieved through gene multiplication in ancestral triploblasts resulting in the expansion of the atonal bHLH gene family. Novel genes of the Neurogenin and NeuroD families are upregulated prior to the expression of Atoh1. Recent data suggest that NeuroD and Neurogenin were lost or their function in neuronal specification reduced in flies, thus changing our perception of the evolution of these genes. This sequence of expression changes was accompanied by modification of the E-box binding sites of these genes to regulate different downstream genes and to form inhibitory loops among each other, thus fine-tuning expression transitions.

Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors - physiology

Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors - genetics

Morphogenesis - genetics

Humans

Stem Cells - cytology

Cell Differentiation - genetics

Animals

Sensory Receptor Cells - cytology

Sensory Receptor Cells - physiology

Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental

Stem Cells - physiology

Mice

Ear, Inner - growth & development

Evolution, Molecular

Details

Title: Subtitle: The role of bHLH genes in ear development and evolution: revisiting a 10-year-old hypothesis
Creators: Bernd Fritzsch - Department of Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Iowa, 143 BB, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. bernd-fritzsch@uiowa.edu
Daniel F Eberl
Kirk W Beisel
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS, Vol.67(18), pp.3089-3099
DOI: 10.1007/s00018-010-0403-x
PMID: 20495996
PMCID: PMC3665285
NLM abbreviation: Cell Mol Life Sci
ISSN: 1420-9071
eISSN: 1420-9071
Publisher: Switzerland
Grant note: R01 DC005590 / NIDCD NIH HHS R21 DC011397 / NIDCD NIH HHS R01-DC005590 / NIDCD NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 09/2010
Academic Unit: Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biology; Craniofacial Anomalies Research Center
Record Identifier: 9983991958902771

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