A1: Stem cell recruitment in Hydra pattern formation

 

Thomas Holstein

  

Hydra is a member of the Cnidaria, an ancient phylum at the base of metazoan evolution. The regeneration capacity of these simple animals is unparalleled in the animal kingdom; it is mediated by a stem cell system of epithelial and interstitial stem cells. Our previous work has shown that Wnt/Dkk and BMP/Chordin signaling are activated and silenced during early and late regeneration. Here, we want to study the mechanisms mediating self-renewal and recruitment of stem cells during regeneration. We will analyze the phosphorylation patterns of Wnt and BMP target proteins by exploring the phosphoproteome of Hydra stem cells. We will also focus on the epigenetic processes leading to the activation and silencing of the Wnt and BMP pathway in the Hydra stem cell system.