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A dot-stripe Turing model of joint patterning in the tetrapod limb

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Hiscock, Tom W 
Cornwall Scoones, Jake 
Hiscock, Thomas 

Abstract

Iterative joints are a hallmark of the tetrapod limb, and their positioning is a key step during limb development. Whilst the molecular regulation of joint formation is well-studied, it remains unclear what controls the location, number and orientation (i.e. the pattern) of joints within each digit. Here we propose the dot-stripe mechanism for joint patterning, comprising two coupled Turing systems inspired by published gene expression patterns. Our model can explain normal joint morphology in wildtype limbs, hyperphalangy in cetacean flippers, mutant phenotypes with misoriented joints and suggests a reinterpretation of the polydactylous Ichthyosaur fins as a polygonal joint lattice. By formulating a generic dot-stripe model, describing joint patterns rather than molecular joint markers, we demonstrate that the insights from the model should apply regardless of the biological specifics of the underlying mechanism, thus providing a unifying framework to interrogate joint patterning in the tetrapod limb.

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Keywords

Journal Title

Company of Biologists: Development

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0950-1991
1477-9129

Volume Title

147

Publisher

Company of Biologists
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (105031/D/14/Z)
Cancer Research UK (C9545/A29580_do not transfer)
European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) (ALTF 606-2018)