Repository logo
 

A SoxB gene acts as an anterior gap gene and regulates posterior segment addition in a spider.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Paese, Christian Louis Bonatto  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5992-5209
Schoenauer, Anna 
Leite, Daniel J 
McGregor, Alistair P  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2908-2420

Abstract

Sox genes encode a set of highly conserved transcription factors that regulate many developmental processes. In insects, the SoxB gene Dichaete is the only Sox gene known to be involved in segmentation. To determine if similar mechanisms are used in other arthropods, we investigated the role of Sox genes during segmentation in the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum. While Dichaete does not appear to be involved in spider segmentation, we found that the closely related Sox21b-1 gene acts as a gap gene during formation of anterior segments and is also part of the segmentation clock for development of the segment addition zone and sequential addition of opisthosomal segments. Thus, we have found that two different mechanisms of segmentation in a non-mandibulate arthropod are regulated by a SoxB gene. Our work provides new insights into the function of an important and conserved gene family, and the evolution of the regulation of segmentation in arthropods.

Description

Keywords

development, developmental biology, evolution, evolutionary biology, parasteatoda tepidariorum, segmentation, spider, Animals, Biological Evolution, Body Patterning, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, SOXB2 Transcription Factors, Spiders

Journal Title

Elife

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2050-084X
2050-084X

Volume Title

7

Publisher

eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
Sponsorship
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/N007069/1)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/L002817/1)