Objective
In the embryonic development of most animals, cell differentiation begins with the formation of three primary germ layers - ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm. A key regulator of this process is β-catenin, which activates the specification of the endoderm and mesoderm. Although β-catenin plays a central role in germ layer specification in a wide range of animals, we lack a detailed understanding of when this regulation emerged in animal evolution. By studying the embryonic development of the comb jelly Mnemiopsis leidyi, a member of the earliest branching animal lineage - Ctenophora, this project aims to determine whether β-catenin regulated endomesoderm specification in the last common ancestor of all animals.
To understand the role of β-catenin in ctenophore germ layer specification, I will first characterize Mnemiopsis germ layers at the gene expression level using a single-cell sequencing approach. By comparing the results with data from other model organisms, I will determine whether Mnemiopsis germ layers are homologous to the ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm of other animals. Next, I will elucidate the spatial dynamics of β-catenin during germ layer specification by performing detailed immunofluorescence analysis using Mnemiopsis-specific anti-β-catenin antibodies. Finally, to assess the function of β-catenin signaling in ctenophore germ layer specification, I will analyze embryos with experimentally up- and downregulated β-catenin activity using morphological methods, gene expression analysis, and innovative 4D (3D time-lapse) microscopy.
Through this research, CtenoGerm will deepen our understanding of how evolutionary changes in developmental programs have shaped the remarkable diversity of body forms across living species. By applying cutting-edge techniques in bioinformatics, molecular and developmental biology, and advancing leadership and management skills, the MSCA will be a transformative experience that will enhance my career and scientific growth.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopy
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineembryology
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Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
07743 JENA
Germany