title: HyAlx, an aristaless-related gene, is involved in tentacle formation in hydra.
abstract: Developmental gradients are known to play important roles in axial patterning in hydra. Current efforts are directed toward elucidating the molecular basis of these gradients. We report the isolation and characterization of HyAlx, an aristaless-related gene in hydra. The expression patterns of the gene in adult hydra, as well as during bud formation, head regeneration and the formation of ectopic head structures along the body column, indicate the gene plays a role in the specification of tissue for tentacle formation. The use of RNAi provides more direct evidence for this conclusion. The different patterns of HyAlx expression during head regeneration and bud formation also provide support for a recent version of a reaction-diffusion model for axial patterning in hydra.
authors.affiliation: Developmental Biology Center, and Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. hrbode@uci.edu
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gee
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Bode
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006257:Head; D006829:Hydra / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000235:genetics; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012038:Regeneration / Q000235:genetics; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D011506:Proteins; C079410:al protein, Drosophila