Wnt7b gene expression and functional analysis in the mussel Mytilus coruscus.
To understand the potential functions of Wnt7b in different developmental stages and adult tissues of the mussel Mytilus coruscus, the Wnt7b gene was cloned using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends technique. The full-length Wnt7b gene was 1910 bp long, with a 1059-bp open reading frame encoding 352 amino acids. The amino acid sequence of the M. coruscus Wnt7b gene shared high homology with that of Homo sapiens (59%), Mus musculus (61%), Danio rerio (61% similarity), Biomphalaria glabrata (62% similarity), Aplysia californica (66% similarity), and Crassostrea gigas (74%). Wnt7b mRNA expression was detected by reverse transcription PCR in all tissues studied (mantle, adductor muscle, gill, foot, digestive gland, and male and female gonads), with the highest expression found in the gill, and in the male and female gonads. This indicates that Wnt7b may play an important role in gonadal maturation and in the functions of gills in the mussel M. coruscus. Expression of the Wnt7b gene during larval development stages, including the trochophore, D-shaped veliger, umbo veliger, pediveliger, and juvenile stages, was also detected. Wnt7b mRNA was highly expressed in the D-shaped veliger, umbo veliger, and pediveliger larvae stages, suggesting that Wnt7b may participate in larval development and in the process of metamorphosis in the mussel M. coruscus. Taken together, these findings provide new insights into the functions of the Wnt gene family during mussel larval development and settlement and metamorphosis.
Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.
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YF
Xu
Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.
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Liang
Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.
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YR
Chen
Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China yf_li@shou.edu.cn.
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Li
Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China yf_li@shou.edu.cn.|Institutes of Marine Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China yf_li@shou.edu.cn.
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Yang
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D049878:Mytilus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D010802:Phylogeny; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051153:Wnt Proteins