Abstract
In the chick embryo, left–right asymmetric patterns of gene expression in the lateral plate mesoderm are initiated by signals located in and around Hensen's node. Here we show that Caronte (Car), a secreted protein encoded by a member of the Cerberus/Dan gene family, mediates the Sonic hedgehog (Shh)-dependent induction of left-specific genes in the lateral plate mesoderm. Car is induced by Shh and repressed by fibroblast growth factor-8 (FGF-8). Car activates the expression of Nodal by antagonizing a repressive activity of bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs). Our results define a complex network of antagonistic molecular interactions between Activin, FGF-8, Lefty-1, Nodal, BMPs and Car that cooperate to control left–right asymmetry in the chick embryo.
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Acknowledgements
We thank J. Magallón for technical help; T. Brand, R. Evans, H. Hamada, C. Kintner, G. Rosenfeld, C. Stern, C. Tabin and members of P. E. Wright's group for discussions and for sharing unpublished observations; W. Vale and S. Choe for reagents; J. P. Fandl (for providing human Cerberus) and X. Wang (for technical help), both at Regeneron; J. Hurlé for scanning images; C. Parada for suggesting the name Caronte; and L. Hooks for help in preparing the manuscript. J.C. was supported by a Hoffmann Foundation Fellowship; J.P. was supported by a long-term EMBO Fellowship. This work was supported by grants from the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation and the NIH to J.C.I.B., who is a Pew Scholar.
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Esteban, C., Capdevila, J., Economides, A. et al. The novel Cer-like protein Caronte mediates the establishment of embryonic left–right asymmetry. Nature 401, 243–251 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/45738
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/45738
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