Noise in the Vertebrate Segmentation Clock Is Boosted by Time Delays but Tamed by Notch Signaling

• DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.04.069
• Publication Date: 2018-05-15T20:09:13Z
• Authors: Sevdenur Keskin; Gnanapackiam S. D...; Soo Bin Kwon; Ha T. Vu; Qiyuan Hong; Yin Yeng Lee; Mohammad Soltani; Abhyudai Singh; Ahmet Ay; Ertuğrul M. Özbudak
• Keywords: Cell fate determination

Taming cell-to-cell variability in gene expression is critical for precise pattern formation during embryonic development. To investigate the source and buffering mechanism of variability, we studied a biological clock, vertebrate segmentation controlling spatiotemporal patterning vertebral column. By counting single transcripts clock genes zebrafish, show that have low RNA amplitudes primarily driven by extrinsic sources, which suppressed Notch signaling. We further noise surprisingly increases from posterior progenitor zone to anterior differentiation zone. Our computational model reproduces spatial profile incorporating spatially increasing time delays expression. results, suggesting controlled balance cell signaling tissue, will shed light on accuracy natural clocks multi-cellular systems inspire engineering robust synthetic oscillators.