Tuesday, July 1, 2025 7/1/2025

Progressive acquisition of novel neural crest derivatives along the neural axis during vertebrate evolution

Award Number: R35NS111564
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/15/2019
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2027

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Progressive acquisition of novel neural crest derivatives along the neural axis during vertebrate evolution - The neural crest is a uniquely vertebrate cell type that is thought to have played an important role in vertebrate evolution by forming peripheral ganglia and jaws, thus facilitating predation and expansion of the brain. We recently identified a “cranial-specific” neural crest transcriptional subcircuit in jawed vertebrates (gnathostomes) that imbues this neural crest population with the unique ability, absent from trunk neural crest, to form craniofacial cartilage that is critical for jaw formation. Here, we propose to examine whether homologous genes are expressed in the cranial premigratory neural crest of lamprey, a jawless basal vertebrate (agnathan). Our preliminary results suggest that many of these genes are “missing” from the lamprey's premigratory cranial neural crest, thus challenging the hypothesis that invention of neural crest in vertebrates gave rise to a “New Head”. Accordingly, we hypothesize that there was progressive expansion of neural crest derivatives during the course of vertebrate evolution. This likely occurred by addition of new enhancer elements into the premigratory neural crest that conferred novel developmental potential onto this cell population. As case in point, lamprey lack a vagal neural crest that in gnathostomes forms the enteric nervous system. To test this hypothesis, we will perform lineage analysis, analyze transcription factors and regulatory regions of selected genes across agnathan and gnathostomes. We will identify putative enhancers, dissect their regulatory inputs, and test the ability of these regions to drive reporter expression in lamprey as well as cross-species, in the zebrafish. The results promise to elucidate how new cell types arose during vertebrate evolution under the umbrella of the neural crest.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $799,716 )
2025	2025	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	7	5/2/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$799,716
														Subtotal = $799,716

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $784,871 )
2024	2024	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	6	4/29/2024	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$230,685
2024	2024	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	002	6	8/13/2024	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$0
2024	2024	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	6	4/3/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$554,186
														Subtotal = $784,871

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $571,326 )
2023	2023	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	5	9/14/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2023	2023	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	5	5/31/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$571,326
														Subtotal = $571,326

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $571,326 )
2022	2022	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	4	5/3/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$571,326
														Subtotal = $571,326

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $571,326 )
2021	2021	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	3	4/26/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$571,326
														Subtotal = $571,326

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $571,326 )
2020	2020	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	2	4/1/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$571,326
														Subtotal = $571,326

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $331,430 )
2019	2019	CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	1200 E CALIFORNIA BLVD	PASADENA	CA	91125	LOS ANGELES	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	1	5/15/2019	NEW	$331,430
														Subtotal = $331,430

Grand Total All Awards = $4,201,321

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Progressive acquisition of novel neural crest derivatives along the neural axis during vertebrate evolution

Award Number: R35NS111564

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/15/2019

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2027

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