Selective accumulation of germ-line associated gene products in early development of the sea star and distinct differences from germ-line development in the sea urchin.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Echinodermata is a diverse phylum, a sister group to chordates, and contains diverse organisms that may be useful to understand varied mechanisms of germ-line specification.

Results

We tested 23 genes in development of the sea star Patiria miniata that fall into five categories: (1) Conserved germ-line factors; (2) Genes involved in the inductive mechanism of germ-line specification; (3) Germ-line associated genes; (4) Molecules involved in left-right asymmetry; and (5) Genes involved in regulation and maintenance of the genome during early embryogenesis. Overall, our results support the contention that the posterior enterocoel is a source of the germ line in the sea star P. miniata.

Conclusions

The germ line in this organism appears to be specified late in

SUBMITTER: Fresques T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3996927 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature