Ci-IPF1, the pancreatic homeodomain transcription factor, is expressed in neural cells of Ciona intestinalis larva.
We describe the cloning and the expression pattern of insulin promoter factor 1 in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis (Ci-IPF1). Northern blot analysis showed that transcripts appeared at the late tailbud stage and increased at the larval stage. We have raised a specific antibody against the Ci-IPF1-GST fusion protein to determine the spatial expression of this gene. The protein is immunodetected at the larval stage in the sensory vesicle, in the visceral ganglion and in the mesenchymal cells. Our results support the hypothesis that IPF1/IDX1 might have extrapancreatic functions during animal development, particularly in neural cells.
Corrado
M
M
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Stazione Zoologica "Anton Dohrn", Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy.
Aniello
F
F
Fucci
L
L
Branno
M
M
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002938:Ciona intestinalis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007814:Larva / Q000378:metabolism*; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000378:metabolism; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013997:Time Factors; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; C084010:pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 protein; D005982:Glutathione Transferase