title: Effects of light and covering behavior on PAX6 expression in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius.
abstract: We studied the diel expression pattern of PAX6 (a structural gene that is commonly involved in the eye development and photoreception of eye forming animals) and the effects of light and covering behavior on PAX6 expression in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius. We confirmed that aphotic condition significantly reduced covering behavior in S. intermedius. The diel expression pattern of PAX6 was significantly different in S. intermedius under photic and aphotic conditions. The gene expression of PAX6 significantly deceased in covered S. intermedius both under natural light and in darkness. The present finding provides valuable insight into the probable link between covering and PAX6 expression of sea urchins. Further studies are required to investigate the detailed expression network of light detection involved genes in order to fully reveal the molecular mechanism of the light-induced covering behavior of sea urchins.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China.
authors.forename: Nanjing
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China.
authors.forename: Wenping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mariculture & Stock Enhancement in North China's Sea, Ministry of Agriculture, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian, China.
authors.forename: Yaqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008027:Light; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D012097:Repressor Proteins