title: DjCBC-1, a conserved DEAD box RNA helicase of the RCK/p54/Me31B family, is a component of RNA-protein complexes in planarian stem cells and neurons.
abstract: The stem cells of planarians, known as neoblasts, can give rise to all cell types in planarians. Neoblasts can be identified by electron microscopy as cells with electron-dense chromatoid bodies, which are large RNP (ribonucleoprotein) complexes, in their cytoplasm. However, the components and function of chromatoid bodies are still relatively unknown. Here we identified a DEAD box RNA helicase gene of the RCK/p54/Me31B family from a planarian EST database and showed the localization of its product in chromatoid bodies by immunoelectron microscopy. We named this gene Djcbc-1 (Dugesia japonica chromatoid body component 1). Djcbc-1 was also strongly expressed in the brain and in the germline stem cells of sexualized planarians. We observed chromatoid body-like electron-dense bodies in brain neurons, where DjCBC-1 was also expressed. These observations suggest that common molecular components of RNP complexes may be involved in the regulation of somatic and germline stem cells, and neurons in planarians.
authors.affiliation: RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida-Kashikawa
authors.forename: Norito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Katsuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takechi
authors.forename: Kiyokazu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Agata
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005854:Germ Cells; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D010932:Planarians / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases