Date of Award

Fall 1-1-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

First Advisor

Holley, Scott

Abstract

Tbx16 and msgn1 genes are key genes responsible for the mesodermal progenitor cells to undergo mesodermal fate transition during zebrafish embryonic body elongation. Here we elucidated their previously unclear independent and redundant roles of mesodermal fate regulation. Using heat-shock induced tbx16 and msgn1 overexpression, in situ hybridization, quantitative PCR, RNA sequencing, and systematic analysis of differentially expressed genes, we found that tbx16 and msgn1 promotes mesodermal differentiation by repressing the progenitor niche that maintains the mesodermal progenitor cell state. Tbx16 and msgn1 repress the expression of many of the same genes in the mesodermal progenitor niche, but tbx16 also represses more unique genes than msgn1. Their role of broad repression regulates the general process of zebrafish embryonic posterior body elongation and formation of the trunk and tail mesoderm.

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