Identification and characterization of homeobox transcription factor genes in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, and their expression in embryonic development.
A set of 96 homeobox transcription factors was identified in the Strongylocentrotus purpuratus genome using permissive blast searches with a large collection of authentic homeodomain sequences from mouse, human and fly. A phylogenetic tree was constructed to compare the sea urchin homeobox gene family to those of vertebrates, with the result that with the only a few exceptions, orthologs of all vertebrate homeodomain genes were uncovered by our search. QPCR time course measurements revealed that 65% of these genes are expressed within the first 48 h of development (late gastrula). For genes displaying sufficiently high levels of transcript during the first 24 h of development (late blastula), whole mount in situ hybridization was carried out up to 48 h to determine spatial patterns of expression. The results demonstrate that homeodomain transcription factors participate in multiple and diverse developmental functions, in that they are used at a range of time points and in every territory of the developing embryo.
Howard-Ashby
Meredith
M
Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
Materna
Stefan C
SC
Brown
C Titus
CT
Chen
Lili
L
Cameron
R Andrew
RA
Davidson
Eric H
EH
D000818:Animals; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000145:classification / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors