title: Expression of FoxE and FoxQ genes in the endostyle of Ciona intestinalis.
abstract: We have analyzed the expression patterns of two Fox genes, FoxE and FoxQ, in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis. Expression of Ci-FoxE was specific to the endostyle of adults, being prominent in the thyroid-equivalent region of zone 7. Ci-FoxQ was expressed in several endodermal organs of adult ascidians, such as the endostyle, branchial sac and esophagus. In the endostyle, the pattern of Ci-FoxQ expression was similar to that of CiTTF-1, being prominent in the thyroid-equivalent regions of zones 7 and 8. Therefore, these Fox genes may perform thyroid-equivalent functions in the ascidian endostyle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiba University, Yayoi-cho 1-33, Inage-ku, 263-8522 Chiba, Japan. ogasawara@bio.s.chiba-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogasawara
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Satou
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002938:Ciona intestinalis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010614:Pharynx / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators