Investigating the functional and evolutionary significance of Group B Sox genes in arthropods
type: CreativeWork
description: Group B Sox genes play a critical developmental role in both vertebrates and insects. Within the model species Drosophila melanogaster, two SoxB genes, Dichaete and SoxNeuro, have been shown to act as ‘master regulators’ in the early development of the central nervous system. SoxB genes have only been characterised in a handful of arthropod species thus far, with most work to date focusing on drosophilids. The purpose of this investigation was twofold. First, I set out to resolve the phylogenetic origins of arthropod SoxB genes, as mutually exclusive models explaining their emergence are still contested. I have identified and annotated the SoxB of several invertebrate taxa. In total, my investigation includes 24 different metazoan taxa, and represents the largest investigation of arthropod SoxB phylogeny to date. In light of this research, I have proposed a new model of SoxB evolution which resolves the conflicting elements of the two primary competing models. Second, to study the evolution of SoxB in terms of functional conservation/divergence, I selected the emerging model organism Tribolium castaneum to draw a comparative analysis with Drosophila melanogaster. I first began by characterising the spatiotemporal expression patterns of SoxNeuro mRNA in early Tribolium embryos using whole mount in situ hybridisation, and examined published Dichaete expression patterns in the context of central nervous system development in T. castaneum. Using these data, I draw a comparison to the expression profiles of Dichaete and SoxNeuro orthologues in Drosophila melanogaster and other species. I have found that both Dichaete and SoxNeuro expression patterns in the developing central nervous system are remarkably well-conserved across species. I also attempted to characterise genome-wide binding for both Dichaete and SoxNeuro proteins in Tribolium in what would have represented the first genomic investigation of its kind in this emerging species. Using a tethered DNA adenine meth…
abstract: Group B Sox genes play a critical developmental role in both vertebrates and insects. Within the model species Drosophila melanogaster, two SoxB genes, Dichaete and SoxNeuro, have been shown to act as ‘master regulators’ in the early development of the central nervous system. SoxB genes have only been characterised in a handful of arthropod species thus far, with most work to date focusing on drosophilids. The purpose of this investigation was twofold. First, I set out to resolve the phylogenetic origins of arthropod SoxB genes, as mutually exclusive models explaining their emergence are still contested. I have identified and annotated the SoxB of several invertebrate taxa. In total, my investigation includes 24 different metazoan taxa, and represents the largest investigation of arthropod SoxB phylogeny to date. In light of this research, I have proposed a new model of SoxB evolution which resolves the conflicting elements of the two primary competing models. Second, to study the evolution of SoxB in terms of functional conservation/divergence, I selected the emerging model organism Tribolium castaneum to draw a comparative analysis with Drosophila melanogaster. I first began by characterising the spatiotemporal expression patterns of SoxNeuro mRNA in early Tribolium embryos using whole mount in situ hybridisation, and examined published Dichaete expression patterns in the context of central nervous system development in T. castaneum. Using these data, I draw a comparison to the expression profiles of Dichaete and SoxNeuro orthologues in Drosophila melanogaster and other species. I have found that both Dichaete and SoxNeuro expression patterns in the developing central nervous system are remarkably well-conserved across species. I also attempted to characterise genome-wide binding for both Dichaete and SoxNeuro proteins in Tribolium in what would have represented the first genomic investigation of its kind in this emerging species. Using a tethered DNA adenine meth…
author: Maher, Joshua Paul
language: en
keywords: Sox, Drosophila, Tribolium, neuroblast, DamID, SoxNeuro, Dichaete, central nervous system, Group B Sox, ChIP
license: https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/f20961f0-ba2a-42c5-bb1f-937a18cff530/download
license: https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/
date published: 2017-11-08
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:24:30Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.16652