The EGF-CFC protein one-eyed pinhead is essential for nodal signaling

Kira Gritsman, Jiaojiao Zhang, Simon Cheng, Elizabeth Heckscher, William S. Talbot, Alexander F. Schier

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

609 Scopus citations

Abstract

The zebrafish EGF-CFC gene one-eyed pinhead (oep) is required zygotically for the formation of the ventral neuroectoderm, endoderm, and prechordal plate. Here we report that embryos lacking both maternal and zygotic Oep activity are defective in germ layer formation, organizer development, and the positioning of the anterior-posterior axis. An identical phenotype is displayed by double mutants for the nodal-related genes squint and cyclops. Mutations in oep eliminate the response to Squint and Cyclops overexpression but are suppressed by expression of Activin and activated forms of the type I receptor ActRIB and Smad2. Expression of the murine EGF- CFC gene cripto rescues oep mutants. These results suggest a conserved role for EGF-CFC proteins as essential extracellular cofactors for Nodal signaling during vertebrate development.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)121-132
Number of pages12
JournalCell
Volume97
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2 1999

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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