FuChi is a cell cycle biosensor for tracking cell cycle dynamics during avian development
7 affiliations
- 1The Roslin Institute & R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
- 2Roslin Institute Chicken Embryology (RICE) Group, The Roslin Institute & R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
- 3Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom.
- 4Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom.
- 5Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
- 6Division of Physiology and Climatology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- 7Laboratory for Cell Function Dynamics, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan.
Abstract
The ability to monitor the proliferative status of live cells both in vitro and in vivo over time has revolutionised our understanding of development, growth and disease. This was first made possible by fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (Fucci) technology, which distinguishes specific cell cycle phases through the reciprocal degradation of fluorescently tagged, truncated forms of human CDT1 and GMNN proteins. Fucci genetic systems have been successfully implemented in transgenic mice, zebrafish, and axolotls. To date, no viable, stably expressing Fucci line has been developed in an avian species. Although a range of continuously improving Fucci constructs have been developed in recent years, existing in vivo Fucci models remain limited because they rely on older reporter technology that fails to distinguish cells in S, G2, and M phases or to label cells in early G1. As a result, these models can be challenging to interpret and their utility for continuous cell tracking and precise analysis of cell-cycle dynamics is limited. Here, we introduce FuChi, a multicistronic Fucci-expressing chicken line incorporating a newly optimised reporter construct composed of an mCerulean-tagged histone H1.0 linker protein fused via a self-cleaving 2A peptide to the tandem Fucci(CA)2 cell cycle biosensor, with additional epitope tags included for detection in fixed tissues. We show that this system accurately discriminates and permits tracking of cells in G1, S, G2, and M phases both in vitro and in vivo, enabling faithful visualisation of cell cycle status in intact tissues and organs. Using FuChi embryos, we mapped proliferation dynamics across developing tissues, analysed cell cycle states of migrating cells, and performed live imaging of early embryos. These latter experiments revealed that transition from S phase may be a key morphogenetic event during gastrulation as mesendoderm cells egress from the primitive streak to form embryonic structures including the prechordal plate. Pairing this advanced reporter with the intrinsic experimental advantages of the chicken embryo positions FuChi as a premier in vivo system for studying cell-cycle kinetics in development, delivering clear technological improvements over current Fucci models. FuChi chickens provide a powerful new resource for studying embryonic development, organ growth, tissue homeostasis, disease processes, and infection responses.
Fucci genetic systems are commonly used to monitor cell proliferation in living cells, but no stably expressing Fucci line has been developed in an avian species. This study develops FuChi, the first avian Fucci reporter line that enables precise cell cycle tracking during embryonic development.
Related
- An SNRNP70-eGFP knock-in zebrafish line reveals the physiological localisation and dynamics of endogenous SNRNP70 during development
- Development of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) combined with a lateral flow dipstick DNA biosensor for detection of α thalassemia 1 [Southeast Asia (SEA), --SEA deletion]
- Spatio‐Temporal Dynamics of Macroglial Cell Organization and Proximity to Blood Vessels During Postnatal Development
- Ethylene Biosynthesis Dynamics and Genome-Wide Characterization of the ACS and ACO Gene Families During Fruit Development in 'Kuerle Xiangli' (Pyrus sinkiangensis Yu).
- Pilifers provide rapid mechanosensory feedback during floral tracking in hawkmoths
BibTeX
@article{sudderick2026fuchi,
title = {{FuChi is a cell cycle biosensor for tracking cell cycle dynamics during avian development}},
author = {Zoe R Sudderick and Tiernan Briggs and Shirooza Mubarak and Melinda Van Kerckvoorde and Ana R Hernandez Rodriguez and Sudeepta K Panda and Jon Riddell and Cameron Batho-Samblas and Lorna Taylor and Lynn McTeir and Dominique Meunier and Amy Findlay and Flossie S Roberts and Anna Raper and Asako Sakaue-Sawano and Atsushi Miyawaki and Joe Rainger and Jeffrey J Schoenebeck and Cornelis J Weijer and Mike J McGrew and Denis J Headon and Megan G Davey and Richard L Mort and James D Glover},
journal = {PLOS Biology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pbio.3004036},
url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3004036},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - FuChi is a cell cycle biosensor for tracking cell cycle dynamics during avian development
AU - Zoe R Sudderick
AU - Tiernan Briggs
AU - Shirooza Mubarak
AU - Melinda Van Kerckvoorde
AU - Ana R Hernandez Rodriguez
AU - Sudeepta K Panda
AU - Jon Riddell
AU - Cameron Batho-Samblas
AU - Lorna Taylor
AU - Lynn McTeir
AU - Dominique Meunier
AU - Amy Findlay
AU - Flossie S Roberts
AU - Anna Raper
AU - Asako Sakaue-Sawano
AU - Atsushi Miyawaki
AU - Joe Rainger
AU - Jeffrey J Schoenebeck
AU - Cornelis J Weijer
AU - Mike J McGrew
AU - Denis J Headon
AU - Megan G Davey
AU - Richard L Mort
AU - James D Glover
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/09
JO - PLOS Biology
DO - 10.1371/journal.pbio.3004036
UR - https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3004036
AB - The ability to monitor the proliferative status of live cells both in vitro and in vivo over time has revolutionised our understanding of development, growth and disease. This was first made possible by fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (Fucci) technology, which distinguishes specific cell cycle phases through the reciprocal degradation of fluorescently tagged, truncated forms of human CDT1 and GMNN proteins. Fucci genetic systems have been successfully implemented in transgenic mice, zebrafish, and axolotls. To date, no viable, stably expressing Fucci line has been developed in an avian species. Although a range of continuously improving Fucci constructs have been developed in recent years, existing in vivo Fucci models remain limited because they rely on older reporter technology that fails to distinguish cells in S, G2, and M phases or to label cells in early G1. As a result, these models can be challenging to interpret and their utility for continuous cell tracking and precise analysis of cell-cycle dynamics is limited. Here, we introduce FuChi, a multicistronic Fucci-expressing chicken line incorporating a newly optimised reporter construct composed of an mCerulean-tagged histone H1.0 linker protein fused via a self-cleaving 2A peptide to the tandem Fucci(CA)2 cell cycle biosensor, with additional epitope tags included for detection in fixed tissues. We show that this system accurately discriminates and permits tracking of cells in G1, S, G2, and M phases both in vitro and in vivo, enabling faithful visualisation of cell cycle status in intact tissues and organs. Using FuChi embryos, we mapped proliferation dynamics across developing tissues, analysed cell cycle states of migrating cells, and performed live imaging of early embryos. These latter experiments revealed that transition from S phase may be a key morphogenetic event during gastrulation as mesendoderm cells egress from the primitive streak to form embryonic structures including the prechordal plate. Pairing this advanced reporter with the intrinsic experimental advantages of the chicken embryo positions FuChi as a premier in vivo system for studying cell-cycle kinetics in development, delivering clear technological improvements over current Fucci models. FuChi chickens provide a powerful new resource for studying embryonic development, organ growth, tissue homeostasis, disease processes, and infection responses. Fucci genetic systems are commonly used to monitor cell proliferation in living cells, but no stably expressing Fucci line has been developed in an avian species. This study develops FuChi, the first avian Fucci reporter line that enables precise cell cycle tracking during embryonic development.
SN - 1545-7885
SN - 1544-9173
ER -