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terra is a left–right asymmetry gene required for left–right synchronization of the segmentation clock

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An Erratum to this article was published on 23 September 2005

Abstract

To establish the vertebrate body plan, it is fundamental to create left–right asymmetry in the lateral-plate mesoderm to correctly position the organs. However, it is also crucial to maintain symmetry between the left and the right sides of the presomitic mesoderm, ensuring the allocation of symmetrical body structures, such as the axial skeleton and skeletal muscles. Here, we show that terra is an early left-sided expressed gene that links left–right patterning with bilateral synchronization of the segmentation clock.

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Figure 1: Terra is required for L–R coordination of the segmentation clock.
Figure 2: Terra is required for L–R patterning.

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Acknowledgements

We thank S. Wilson and D. Stemple for the zebrafish embryos, M. Tada and C.-P. Heisenberg for reagents, I. Campos for technical support with MO injections, A. Gaspar for histological work, C. Domingues for the SDS–PAGE gels and I. Marques for sequence analysis. We are grateful to S. Thorsteinsdóttir, S. Simões, W. Wood, S. Rodrigues, R. Andrade, A. Jacinto and A. Coutinho for comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by a grant from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) (POCTI/45914/BCI/2002). L.S. was supported by a FCT fellowship (SFRH/BPD/6755/2001). R.L. was supported by Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (FCG)/Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional (IEFP). The authors are members of the FP6 European Network of Excellence 'Cells into Organs'.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Centro de Biologia do Desenvolvimento, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6, Oeiras, 2780-156, Portugal

    Leonor Saúde, Raquel Lourenço & Alexandre Gonçalves

  2. Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, 4710-057, Portugal

    Isabel Palmeirim

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  1. Leonor Saúde
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  2. Raquel Lourenço
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  3. Alexandre Gonçalves
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  4. Isabel Palmeirim
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Correspondence to Leonor Saúde.

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Supplementary figure S1, S2, S3, S4 and Supplementary methods (PDF 459 kb)

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Saúde, L., Lourenço, R., Gonçalves, A. et al. terra is a left–right asymmetry gene required for left–right synchronization of the segmentation clock. Nat Cell Biol 7, 918–920 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb1294

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