Involvement of axon guidance molecules in the formation of early neuronal scaffolds and concomitant swimming behavior in anamuniote vertebrates

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Vertebrate brain has specific neuronal tracts called the early axonal scaffold, which appear during its early development. These tracts include the longitudinal and commissural axonal bundles such as posterior commissure (pc), which are highly conserved in gnathostomes. We investigated the brain development and gene expression of axon guidance molecules in vertebrates including lamprey, teleosts, amphibians and reptiles, and found that pc was conserved in vertebrates. We further demonstrated that inhibition of Slit2 and Robo2 in Xenopus larvae resulted in the abnormal pc morphology and uncoordinated swimming pattern. Thus, Slit-Robo interaction appears to be involved not only in the formation of pc but also in the establishment of functional brain elements that triggers a swimming behavior. In course of the evolution, Slit-Robo signaling will be contributed to the construction of pc which is a prerequisite for the subsequent development of complex neuronal circuits and functions.