NF-κB is required for cnidocyte development in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis.
The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis (Nv) is a leading model organism for the phylum Cnidaria, which includes anemones, corals, jellyfishes and hydras. A defining trait across this phylum is the cnidocyte, an ectodermal cell type with a variety of functions including defense, prey capture and environmental sensing. Herein, we show that the Nv-NF-κB transcription factor and its inhibitor Nv-IκB are expressed in a subset of cnidocytes in the body column of juvenile and adult anemones. The size and distribution of the Nv-NF-κB-positive cnidocytes suggest that they are in a subtype known as basitrichous haplonema cnidocytes. Nv-NF-κB is primarily cytoplasmic in cnidocytes in juvenile and adult animals, but is nuclear when first detected in the 30-h post-fertilization embryo. Morpholino-mediated knockdown of Nv-NF-κB expression results in greatly reduced cnidocyte formation in the 5 day-old animal. Taken together, these results indicate that NF-κB plays a key role in the development of the phylum-specific cnidocyte cell type in Nematostella, likely by nuclear Nv-NF-κB-dependent activation of genes required for cnidocyte development.
Boston University, Department of Biology, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Francis S
FS
Wolenski
Cynthia A
CA
Bradham
John R
JR
Finnerty
Thomas D
TD
Gilmore
D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007211:Indoles; D060172:Morpholinos / Q000235:genetics; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D058894:Nematocyst / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology*; D012615:Sea Anemones / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*
D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D007211:Indoles; D060172:Morpholinos; D016328:NF-kappa B; C007293:DAPI