Biology subjects

Abe, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Abe, G..

9 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Histological divergence underlying globular body shapes in ornamental goldfish

Body shape diversity in vertebrates reflects a complex interplay between functional demands, environmental constraints, and internal developmental mechanisms. Various environments have promoted diverse morphological adaptations not only under natural but also domesticated conditions. One of the most remarkable examples of artificially induced morphology is found in the domesticated ornamental goldfish (Carassius auratus), which has diversified into numerous strains with strikingly different body shapes through prolonged human selection. In this study, we compared the body shapes of representative goldfish strains: the single-tail common goldfish (wild-type), Ryukin, Oranda, Pearl scale, and Ranchu. Our analysis revealed that the Ryukin and Pearl scale strains exhibit significantly greater body circularity in dorsal view compared to the other strains. Further anatomical and histological analyses showed that Pearl scale goldfish possess a thicker lateral body wall along with increased adipose tissue accumulation and reduced muscle fiber density, unlike Ryukin goldfish. These findings suggest that similar globular body shapes in different goldfish strains have arisen through distinct developmental pathways, exemplifying morphological convergence accompanied by histological divergence. We further discuss adipose accumulation in Pearl scale goldfish in relation to natural examples, providing insight into how function, morphology, and tissue organization may be interlinked in the evolution of globular body shapes.

zoology↗

bioRxiv2025

Actinotrichia-independent developmental mechanisms of spiny rays facilitate the morphological diversification of Acanthomorpha fish fins

Skeletal forms in vertebrates have been regarded as good models of morphological diversification. Fish fin forms are greatly diversified, and their bone structure is classified into soft rays and spiny rays. In fish evolution, spiny-ray morphologies are known to be sometimes extremely modified; however, it remains unknown how the developmental mechanisms of spiny-rays have contributed to their morphological diversification. By using the rainbowfish Melanotaenia praecox for examination of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell dynamics of spiny-ray development, we demonstrate that spiny-ray developments are independent of the actinotrichia (needle-shaped collagen polymers at the tip of fish fins), which are known as an important ECM in soft-ray morphogenesis. Furthermore, we found that in the thorny spiny-ray of the filefish Stephanolepis cirrhifer, the lateral protrusions equip the BMP positive osteoblast condensation, as in the state of the spiny-ray tips in M. praecox and S. cirrhifer. Taken together, our findings reveal that osteoblast distribution and signaling-molecule intensity would contribute to spiny-ray modification. In comparison to soft rays development, the independence from actinotrichia in spiny-rays would facilitate growth direction change, leading to their morphological diversification. This indicates that the cell distribution and ECM usage would be major factors driving the morphological diversification in animals.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Tracing of the developmental origin of the caudal fin muscle in zebrafish

Teleost species possess complex caudal musculoskeletal systems. While mid-trunk muscles exhibit simple segmental patterns, several caudal skeletal muscles display intricate orientations in their muscle fibers. Due to this distinctive morphology, both early and recent researchers have studied the structure and development of the caudal musculoskeletal system. However, the early developmental origin of the cell populations within the caudal muscle system remains largely unknown. In this study, we performed lineage tracing of caudal muscle primordia in zebrafish using a transgenic line expressing EGFP in somite derivatives following tamoxifen induction. This approach allowed us to observe the specific cell populations that contribute to caudal muscle tissue formation at the early larval stage. By monitoring the growth of these labeled cells from the early larval stage, we identified the origins of muscle fibers in caudal fin muscles unique to teleosts, such as the adductor caudalis and flexor caudalis. Our findings provide descriptions that aid in understanding how fish-specialized caudal muscle structures were formed through the modification of developmental processes during evolution.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Novel function of Hox13 in regulating outgrowth of the newt hindlimb bud through interaction with Fgf10 and Tbx4

5Hox genes regulate pattern formation along the axes of the limb. Previously, we showed that Hoxa13/Hoxd13 double mutant newts lacked all digits of the forelimbs during development and regeneration, showing that newt Hox13 is necessary for digit formation in development and regeneration. In addition, we found another unique phenotype. A part of the Hox13 crispant newts showed hindlimb defects, in which whole or almost whole hindlimbs were lost, suggesting a novel function of Hox13 in limb development. Using germline mutants, we showed that mutation in Hox13 led to hindlimb defects. The limb buds of Hox13 crispants formed, however, did not show outgrowth. Expression of Fgf10 and Tbx4, which are involved in limb outgrowth, decreased in the hindlimb buds of Hox13 crispants. In addition, hindlimb defects were observed in both Fgf10 and Tbx4 crispant newts. Finally, Fgf10 and Tbx4 interacted with Hox13 genetically. Our results revealed a novel function of Hox13 in regulating the outgrowth of the newt hindlimb bud through interaction with Fgf10 and Tbx4.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Evolutionary Insights into Muscle Fiber Distribution in the Twin Tails of Ornamental Goldfish

Twin-tail ornamental goldfish have a bifurcated caudal fin with a morphology that is extremely diverged from the conventional body plan of the vertebrates. Here, we investigate the muscu-loskeletal histology of this bifurcated caudal fin. From some of the investigated twin-tail goldfish, we found a twin-tail goldfish specific muscle (hereafter referred to as the "medial caudal muscle") between left and right bifurcated caudal fin skeletons. Our immunohistochemical analyses revealed that the medial caudal muscle showed laterally biased distribution patterns of the slow and fast muscle fibers. Similar distribution patterns were also commonly observed in several deep muscles of wild-type goldfish as well as zebrafish, suggesting that these muscle fiber distribution patterns are formed by the same molecular developmental mechanisms even though their morphologies are highly diverged. These findings provide empirical evidence to consider how the histological features of a newly emerged morphology are influenced by selective pressures and pre-existing developmental mechanisms.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Fin elaboration via anterior-posterior regulation by Hedgehog signaling in teleosts

Fins in fishes are appendages that serve to facilitate maneuvering in water. Compared to their ancestral state, teleosts have reduced radial bones in their paired fin skeletons and have acquired elaborated, agile paired fins. We found that mutation of Hedgehog interacting protein (Hhip), encoding an antagonist of Hedgehog signaling, leads to an increase of radial bones in a localized region and replicates the ancestral state. Interestingly, the caudal fin, which has undergone a reduction of skeleton structure in teleosts, as well as the paired fins, exhibit a regional-specific branching of the 2nd hypural in hhip-/- mutant zebrafish. These results imply that Hedgehog signaling is repressed during fin development in teleosts compared to the ancestral state. Molecular genetic analyses show that shhb, one of the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) genes, encoding one of the Hedgehog ligands in teleosts, is expressed during subdivision of endochondral components in paired fin skeletal development, and that mutation of shhb leads to hypoplasia of the paired fin skeletons. Therefore, we suggest that paired and caudal fins in fishes possess a specific region susceptible to Hedgehog signaling. The reduction of radial bones by repressive regulation of Hedgehog signaling may induce fin elaboration in teleosts.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Morphological evolution and diversity of pectoral fin skeletons in teleosts

The Teleostei class has the most species of the fishes. Members of this group have paired rostral appendages and pectoral fins, enabling refined movements in the water. Although teleosts live in a diverse set of environments, the skeletal pattern of pectoral fins in teleosts is considered to show little morphological variability. Here, in order to elucidate variations in pectoral fin skeletons and to identify their evolutionary processes, we compared the pectoral fin skeletons from 27 species of teleosts. We identified several variations and a diversity of pectoral fin skeletal patterns within some teleost groups. Taken together with previous reports on teleost skeletons, our findings reveal that in the course of teleost evolution, there are a mixture of conserved and non- conserved components in the pectoral fin skeletons of teleosts, and that teleosts may have experienced the variation and conservation of the number and shape of the proximal radials, the loss of the mesocoracoid, and the change in the distal radial-fin ray relationship.

zoology↗

bioRxiv2020

PLZF is a new substrate of CRBN with thalidomide and 5-hydroxythalidomide

Thalidomide induces cereblon (CRBN)-dependent degradation of proteins. Human cytochrome P450s are thought to provide two monohydroxylated metabolites from thalidomide, and the metabolites are also considered to be involved in thalidomide effects. However, it remains unclear. We report that human PLZF/ZBTB16 is a target protein of CRBN with thalidomide and its derivatives, and that 5-hydroxythalidomide has high potential for degrading PLZF. Using a human transcription factor protein array produced by a wheat cell-free protein synthesis system, PLZF was found to bind to CRBN with thalidomide. PLZF is degraded by the CRL4CRBN complex with thalidomide and its derivatives. Mutagenesis analysis revealed that both 1st and 3rd zinc finger domains conserved in vertebrates are recognized for thalidomide-dependent binding and degradation by CRBN. In chicken limbs, knockdown of Plzf induced skeletal abnormalities, and Plzf was degraded after thalidomide or 5-hydroxythalidomide treatment. Our findings suggest that PLZF is a pivotal substrate involving thalidomide-induced teratogenesis.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

bioRxiv2017

Activation of the hypothalamic feeding centre upon visual prey detection

The visual system plays a major role in food/prey recognition in diurnal animals, and food intake is regulated by the hypothalamus. However, whether and how visual information about prey is conveyed to the hypothalamic feeding centre is largely unknown. Here we perform real-time imaging of neuronal activity in freely behaving or constrained zebrafish larvae and demonstrate that prey or prey-like visual stimuli activate the hypothalamic feeding centre. Furthermore, we identify prey detector neurons in the pretectal area that project to the hypothalamic feeding centre. Ablation of the pretectum completely abolishes prey capture behaviour and neurotoxin expression in the hypothalamic area also reduces feeding. Taken together, these results suggest that the pretecto-hypothalamic pathway plays a crucial role in conveying visual information to the feeding centre. Thus, this pathway possibly converts visual food detection into feeding motivation in zebrafish.

neuroscience↗