Abstract
The cytokine Macrophage Stimulating 1 (MST1/MSP/Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Like) is a ligand of the Met-related MST1-Receptor (MST1R/RON). Although MST1-deficient mice are viable, MST1R is essential in mice before gastrulation for implantation, and is a known oncogene in man. Here I report the identification, sequence, chromosomal location and embryonic expression of a novel zebrafish orthologue, termed macrophage stimulating 1 (mst1). mst1 shows a striking restriction of expression to the dorsal side of the embryo prior to gastrulation, and as gastrulation and somitogenesis proceed is expressed sequentially in the presumptive neurectoderm, the notochord, the somites, endodermal cells and in the syncytial yolk. This dynamic pattern is largely conserved in tetrapod vertebrates, suggesting that the appearance of MST1, may have played an early role in the evolution of the vertebrate body plan.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aberger F, Schmidt G, Richter K (1996) The Xenopus homologue of Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Like protein is specifically expressed in the presumptive neural plate during gastrulation. Mech Dev 54:23–37
Bezerra JA, Carrick TL, Degen JL, Witte D, Degen SJF (1998) Biological effects of targeted inactivation of Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Like protein in mice. J Clin Invest 101(5):1175–1183
Birchmeier C, Gherardi E (1998) Developmental roles of HGF/SF and its receptor, the C-Met tyrosine kinase. Trends Cell Biol 8:404–410
Bladt F, Riethmacher D, Isenmann S, Aguzzi A, Birchmeier C (1995) An essential role for the C-Met receptor in the migration of myogenic precursor cells into the limb bud. Nature 376:768–771
Correll PH (1997) Deregulated inflammatory response in mice lacking the STK/RON receptor tyrosine kinase. Genes Funct 1:69–83
Furthauer M, Reifers F, Brand M, Thisse B, Thisse C (2001) Sprouty4 acts in vivo as a feedback-induced antagonist of FGF signaling in zebrafish. Development 128:2175–2186
Gaudino G, Follenzi A, Naldini A, Collesi C, Santoro M, Gallo KA, Godowski PJ, Comoglio PM (1994) Ron is a heterodimeric tyrosine kinase receptor activated by the HGF homologue MSP. EMBO J 13:3524–3532
Greener MJ, Roberts RG (2000) Conservation of components of the dystrophin complex in Drosophila. FEBS Lett 482:13–18
Leonard EJ (1997) Biological aspects of macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP) and its receptor. In: Gherardi E (ed) Plasminogen-related growth factors. (Ciba Foundation Symposium 212) Wiley, New York, pp 183–191
Macdonald R, Barth KA, Xu Q, Holder N, Mikkola I, Wilson SW (1995) Midline signalling is required for Pax gene regulation and patterning of the eyes. Development 121:3267–3278
Melby AE, Warga RM, Kimmel CB (1996) Specification of cell fates at the dorsal margin of the zebrafish gastrula. Development 122:2225–2237
Muraoka O, Ichikawa H, Shi H, Okumura S, Taira E, Higuchi H, Hirano T, Hibi M, Miki N (2000) Kheper, a novel ZFH/DeltaEF1 family member, regulates the development of the neuroectoderm of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Dev Biol 228:29–40
Nakamura T, Aoki S, Takahashi T, Matsumoto K, Kiyohara T (1996) Cloning and expression of Xenopus HGF-Like Protein (HLP) and Ron/HLP receptor implicate their involvement in early neural development. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 224:564–573
Ruiz i Altaba R, Thery C (1996) Involvement of livertine, a hepatocyte growth factor family member, in neural morphogenesis. Mech Dev 60:207–220
Slack JMW, Tannahill D (1992) Mechanisms of anteroposterior axis specification in vertebrates: lessons from the amphibians. Development 114:285–302
Streit ACE, Stern CD (1997) Competence for neural induction: HGF/SF, HGFl/MSP and the c-Met receptor. In: Gherardi E (ed) Plasminogen-related growth factors. (Ciba Foundation Symposium 212) Wiley, New York, pp 155–165
Thery C, Sharpe MJ, Batley SJ, Stern CD, Gherardi E (1995) Expression of HGF/SF, HGF1/MSP, and c-Met suggests new functions during early chick development. Developmental Genetics 17:90–101
Uehara Y, Minowa O, Mori C, Shiota K, Kuno J, Noda T, Kitamura N (1995) Placental defect and embryonic lethality in mice lacking hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor. Nature 373:702–705
Wang MH, Ronsin C, Gesnel MC, Coupey L, Skeel A, Leonard EJ, Breathnach R (1994) Identification of the Ron gene product as the receptor for the human macrophage stimulating protein. Science 266:117–119
Woo K, Fraser SE (1997) Specification of the zebrafish nervous system by nonaxial signals. Science 277:254–257
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Steve Wilson and his laboratory, John Postlethwait's laboratory, Sandy Bruce and Heather McAdam.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Edited by J. Campos-Ortega
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bassett, D.I. Identification and developmental expression of a macrophage stimulating 1/hepatocyte growth factor-like 1 orthologue in the zebrafish. Dev Genes Evol 213, 360–362 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-003-0339-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-003-0339-3