Specification of distinct cell types in a sensory-adhesive organ important for metamorphosis in tunicate larvae.

The papillae of tunicate larvae contribute sensory, adhesive, and metamorphosis-regulating functions that are crucial for the biphasic lifestyle of these marine, non-vertebrate chordates. We have identified additional molecular markers for at least 5 distinct cell types in the papillae of the model tunicate Ciona, allowing us to further study the development of these organs. Using tissue-specific CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis and other molecular perturbations, we reveal the roles of key transcription factors and signaling pathways that are important for patterning the papilla territory into a highly organized array of different cell types and shapes. We further test the contributions of different transcription factors and cell types to the production of the adhesive glue that allows for larval attachment during settlement, and to the processes of tail retraction and body rotation during metamorphosis. With this study, we continue working towards connecting gene regulation to cellular functions that control the developmental transition between the motile larva and sessile adult of Ciona. Copyright: © 2024 Johnson et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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Christopher J Johnson, Florian Razy-Krajka, Fan Zeng, Katarzyna M Piekarz, Shweta Biliya, Ute Rothbächer, Alberto Stolfi. Specification of distinct cell types in a sensory-adhesive organ important for metamorphosis in tunicate larvae. PLoS biology. 2024 Mar;22(3):e3002555

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PMID: 38478577

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