Developmental expression of two Haliotis asinina hemocyanin isoforms.
Hemocyanins are large copper-containing respiratory proteins that play a role in oxygen transport in many molluscs. In some species only one hemocyanin isoform is present while in others two are expressed. The physiological relevance of these isoforms is unclear and the developmental and tissue-specific expression of hemocyanin genes is largely unknown. Here we show that two hemocyanin genes in the gastropod Haliotis asinina, which encode H. asinina hemocyanin (HaH1) and HaH2 isoforms, are developmentally expressed. These genes initially are expressed in a small number of mesenchyme cells at trochophore and pre-torsional veliger stages, with HaH1 expression slightly preceding HaH2. These cells largely are localized to the visceral mass, although a small number of cells are present in head and foot regions. Following metamorphosis the isoforms show overlapping as well as isoform-specific expression profiles, suggesting some degree of isoform-specific function.
Streit
Klaus
K
Institute of Zoology, Johannes Gutenberg University, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
Jackson
Daniel
D
Degnan
Bernard M
BM
Lieb
Bernhard
B
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008974:Mollusca / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D006433:Hemocyanins