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Reposted by Aurelie Hintermann

Anna Klompen, PhD @gelatinoussting.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

First postdoc paper and first Nematostella project! By using the dynamic expression pattern of minicollagens, we describe the transcriptional profile during biogenesis for two major stinging cell types: nematocytes and spirocytes www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... #StunningStella

biorxiv.org

Minicollagen expression dynamics reveal a transcriptional program for cnidogenesis in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis

Cnidae are explosive harpoon-like organelles localized within stinging cells, or cnidocytes, of the phylum Cnidaria (jellyfish, hydroids, sea anemones, and corals). These unique Golgi-derived vesicula...

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Reposted by Aurelie Hintermann

M. Brent Hawkins @homeobox.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Excited to share the final published version of our work on the evolution of dorsal-ventral patterning in fins and limbs, now up on @currentbiology.bsky.social In review we added new single LARM element deletions to assess their impact on dorsality. Take a look! 🔬🧪🐟🐁 www.cell.com/current-biol...

A scientific figure showing the phenotypic effects of removing individual enhancer elements from the LARM. On the left side of the image are schematic diagrams of the targeted deletions and on the right are fin skeletons showing altered anatomy.

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Aurelie Hintermann @aurhin.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Thanks to all authors for collaborating! @gvalentinepfl.bsky.social ntinepfl.bsky.social Lucille Lopez-Delisle @madeline-ryan.bsky.social Sandra Gitto, Paula Barrera Gómez, Bénédicte Mascrez, Thomas Mansour @nakamuralab.bsky.social Matthew Harris @neilshubin.bsky.social

ntinepfl.bsky.social

Bluesky

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Aurelie Hintermann @aurhin.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Nature creates novelty from pre-existing systems! We propose that the regulatory system active in distal limbs was reused in tetrapods from a preexisting cloacal regulatory machinery. Importantly, this involved the co-option of the complete regulatory landscape rather than individual enhancers.

Schematic of the evolutionary co-option of the HoxD 5DOM regulatory landscape.

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Aurelie Hintermann @aurhin.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

We show that distal hox genes are essential for correct cloacal formation in zebrafish, as hox13 loss results in terminal tract fusion, similar to mouse mutants.

Loss of hox13 genes results in fused hindgut and pronephric exits.

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Aurelie Hintermann @aurhin.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Instead, we found that deleting the 5DOM completely ablates expression in the cloaca, a structure related by ancestry to the mammalian urogenital sinus, where the terminal regions of the intestinal, excretory and reproductive systems come together.

hoxd13a WISH in zebrafish embryonic cloaca

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Aurelie Hintermann @aurhin.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Deleting the 5DOM in mice ablates Hoxd expression in the digits. To our shock, we found that deleting this region in zebrafish does not disrupt Hoxd expression in fins! This indicates that Hoxd expression in fins is controlled by a regulatory mechanism independent of the one active in limbs.

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Aurelie Hintermann @aurhin.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

The presence of a syntenic region in zebrafish, which lacks digits, suggests deep homology of Hoxd gene regulation in vertebrate appendages. But is this region really activating Hoxd transcription in fins? We tested this hypothesis by deleting the entire 5DOM (~400 kb!) in zebrafish.

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Aurelie Hintermann @aurhin.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Analysis of Hox gene expression has been critical to explain the origin of novel features such as the limb. Hoxd gene transcription in the digits of terrestrial vertebrates depends on a large regulatory landscape (5DOM). However, how this regulatory region evolved has remained unresolved.

Hoxd13 WISH in the distal forelimb of a mouse embryo

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Aurelie Hintermann @aurhin.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Are digits modified fins, or evolutionary innovations? Read how we tackled this old question from a new angle🧪 A story with @chasebolt.bsky.social, @homeobox.bsky.social and myself, coordinated by @denisduboule.bsky.social from @college-de-france.fr and published in @nature.com today! #InHoxWeTrust

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Reposted by Aurelie Hintermann

Stowers Institute @stowersinstitute.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

This #MicroscopyMonday explores when nature plays with symmetry across species. A rare two-headed Killifish(left) and #Zebrafish(right) conjoined larvae can occur, seen above with a fluorescent label marking the lateral line (a sensory system). (Piotrowski Lab)

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Aurelie Hintermann @aurhin.bsky.social · 18/12/2024

I hope you got a good grade 😜

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