title: The functional analysis of Type I postplasmic/PEM mRNAs in embryos of the ascidian Halocynthia roretzi.
abstract: Maternal factors, such as a muscle determinant macho-1 mRNA that is localized to the posterior-vegetal cortex (PVC) of fertilized ascidian eggs, are crucial for embryonic axis formation and cell fate specification. Maternal mRNAs that show an identical posterior localization pattern to that of macho-1 in eggs and embryos are called Type I postplasmic/PEM mRNAs. We investigated the functions of five of the nine Type I mRNAs so far known in Halocynthia roretzi: Hr-Wnt-5, Hr-GLUT, Hr-PEM3, Hr-PEN1, and Hr-PEN2. Suppression of their functions with specific antisense morpholino oligonucleotides (MOs) had effects on the formation of various tissues: Hr-Wnt-5 on notochord, muscle, and mesenchyme, although zygotic function of Hr-Wnt-5 is responsible for notochord formation; Hr-GLUT on notochord, mesenchyme, and endoderm; and Hr-PEN2 on muscle, mesenchyme, and endoderm. On the other hand, Hr-PEM3 and Hr-PEN1 MOs seemed to have no effect. We conclude that the functions of at least some localized maternal Type I postplasmic/PEM mRNAs are necessary for early embryonic patterning in ascidians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan. yorinaka@bio.sci.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoriko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Kazuhiro W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Makabe
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D020320:Oligoribonucleotides, Antisense / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D023121:RNA, Messenger, Stored / Q000032:analysis* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D014561:Urochordata / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004527:Egg Proteins; D051272:Glucose Transporter Type 1; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D020320:Oligoribonucleotides, Antisense; D023121:RNA, Messenger, Stored; D051153:Wnt Proteins