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Differential expression of caudal and dorsal genes in the teloblast lineages of the oligochaete annelid Tubifex tubifex

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Abstract

We have cloned homologues (designated Ttu-cdx and Ttu-dl) of caudal and dorsal genes from the oligochaete annelid Tubifex tubifex. In situ hybridization revealed that Ttu-cdx begins to be expressed around the time of completion of ectodermal teloblastogenesis (i.e., the onset of gastrulation). At this time, Ttu-cdx expression is detected in a few cells that are located in the anteriormost part of the mesodermal germ bands (GBs). As development proceeds and the GBs elongate, the domain of Ttu-cdx-expressing cells in the GBs extends posteriorly. During this process, M teloblasts and primary blast cells remained negative for Ttu-cdx expression. This Ttu-cdx expression pattern is in sharp contrast to the posterior caudal expression in other organisms. Expression of Ttu-dl is detected from the one-cell stage through to the gastrula stage. Although Ttu-dl is expressed in most blastomeres, there are regional differences in Ttu-dl expression levels. During early cleavage, a large amount of Ttu-dl mRNA, which is supplied maternally, is inherited by D-cell line micromeres 2d and 4d; the remaining micromeres and macromeres inherit relatively small amounts of Ttu-dl transcripts. Another regional difference in Ttu-dl expression levels is seen in the ectodermal GB that is comprised of four bast-cell bandlets. The ventralmost bandlet (N lineage) exhibits the highest level of Ttu-dl expression with the lowest level in the two middle bandlets (O and P lineages) and an intermediate level in the dorsalmost bandlet (Q lineage).

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Acknowledgements

We thank members of the Shimizu laboratory for advice and help in collecting embryos. This study was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan (13680799) to T.S.

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Correspondence to Takashi Shimizu.

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Kei Matsuo and Hiroshi Yoshida contributed equally to this work

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Matsuo, K., Yoshida, H. & Shimizu, T. Differential expression of caudal and dorsal genes in the teloblast lineages of the oligochaete annelid Tubifex tubifex. Dev Genes Evol 215, 238–247 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-005-0473-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-005-0473-1

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