Planarian homeobox genes: cloning, sequence analysis, and expression.
Freshwater planarians (Platyhelminthes, Turbellaria, and Tricladida) are acoelomate, triploblastic, unsegmented, and bilaterally symmetrical organisms that are mainly known for their ample power to regenerate a complete organism from a small piece of their body. To identify potential pattern-control genes in planarian regeneration, we have isolated two homeobox-containing genes, Dth-1 and Dth-2 [Dugesia (Girardia) tigrina homeobox], by using degenerate oligonucleotides corresponding to the most conserved amino acid sequence from helix-3 of the homeodomain. Dth-1 and Dth-2 homeodomains are closely related (68% at the nucleotide level and 78% at the protein level) and show the conserved residues characteristic of the homeodomains identified to data. Similarity with most homeobox sequences is low (30-50%), except with Drosophila NK homeodomains (80-82% with NK-2) and the rodent TTF-1 homeodomain (77-87%). Some unusual amino acid residues specific to NK-2, TTF-1, Dth-1, and Dth-2 can be observed in the recognition helix (helix-3) and may define a family of homeodomains. The deduced amino acid sequences from the cDNAs contain, in addition to the homeodomain, other domains also present in various homeobox-containing genes. The expression of both genes, detected by Northern blot analysis, appear slightly higher in cephalic regions than in the rest of the intact organism, while a slight increase is detected in the central period (5 days) or regeneration.
Garcia-Fernàndez
J
J
Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
Baguñà
J
J
Saló
E
E
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015870:Gene Expression; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D010932:Planarians / Q000235:genetics*; D011061:Poly A / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011061:Poly A; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA