RRC ID 86407
Author Isomura A, Asanuma D, Kageyama R.
Title Synchronization of the segmentation clock using synthetic cell-cell signaling.
Journal Genes Dev
Abstract During vertebrate development, the segmentation clock drives oscillatory gene expression in the presomitic mesoderm (PSM), leading to the periodic formation of somites. Oscillatory gene expression is synchronized at the cell population level; inhibition of Delta-Notch signaling results in the loss of synchrony and the fusion of somites. However, it remains unclear how cell-cell signaling couples oscillatory gene expression and controls synchronization. Here, we report that synthetic cell-cell signaling using designed ligand-receptor pairs can induce synchronized oscillations in PSM organoids. Optogenetic assays uncovered that the intracellular domains of synthetic ligands play key roles in dynamic cell-cell communication. Oscillatory coupling using synthetic cell-cell signaling recovered the synchronized oscillation in PSM cells deficient for Delta-Notch signaling; nonoscillatory coupling did not induce recovery. This study reveals the mechanism by which ligand-receptor molecules coordinate the synchronization of the segmentation clock and provides a way to program temporal gene expression in organoids and artificial tissues.
Volume 40(1-2)
Pages 124-141
Published 2026-1-5
DOI 10.1101/gad.352538.124
PII gad.352538.124
PMID 41102018
PMC PMC12758139
MeSH Animals Biological Clocks* / genetics Cell Communication* / genetics Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental* Ligands Mice Optogenetics Organoids / metabolism Receptors, Notch / genetics Receptors, Notch / metabolism Signal Transduction* / genetics Somites / cytology Somites / embryology Somites / metabolism
IF 9.527
Resource
Human and Animal Cells E14tg2a(AES0135)