动物胚胎左右不对称建立是个体发生过程中的重要事件，开展其机制研究是发育生物学的重要命题之一。Cerberus是脊椎动物左右轴建立的重要参与者，也是脊椎动物胚胎发育过程中最早出现不对称表达的基因。然而有关Cerberus不对称表达及转录调控是如何实现的尚有待深入研究。文昌鱼进化地位独特、躯体透明、幼体器官左右不对称特征明显，是研究胚胎左右轴建立的良好模型。在本研究中，我们将采用基因敲除、过表达、转基因、小分子药物处理、原位杂交等技术方法，对文昌鱼Cerberus基因不对称表达及转录调控机制作深入分析。本项目将：（1）为揭示脊椎动物Cerberus不对称表达及转录调控机制及其起源提供有力证据；（2）发表3-4篇高水平研究论文；（3）培养6名研究生。

Left-right axis formation is essential for animal development, and clarifying mechanisms underling the process represents one of the most important issues in the fields of both developmental and morphological biology. Cerberus plays key roles in the establishment of vertebrate left-right asymmetry and is the earliest asymmetrically expressed gene identified so far. However, questions about how Cerberus is transcriptionally regulated and how its asymmetric expression is achieved remain open. Amphioxus is an excellent model to address these issues due to its key phylogenetic position among chordates, together with its relatively simple embryogenesis and genome structure. Importantly, our previous studies have shown that Cerberus is expressed and acts similarly in amphioxus embryo like its vertebrate cognates. In this proposal, we will make comprehensive analysis on the regulatory mechanisms controlling Cerberus asymmetric expression in amphioxus. The outcome of our project will provide direct evidences for understanding the regulatory mechanism of Cerberus gene in vertebrates and will also shed essential insights into how the regulatory mechanism of Cerberus gene has evolved among chordates.