A computational approach towards a gene regulatory network for the developing Nematostella vectensis gut.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The starlet sea anemone Nematostella vectensis is a diploblastic cnidarian that expresses a set of conserved genes for gut formation during its early development. During the last decade, the spatial distribution of many of these genes has been visualized with RNA hybridization or protein immunolocalization techniques. However, due to N. vectensis' curved and changing morphology, quantification of these spatial data is problematic. A method is developed for two-dimensional gene expression quantification, which enables a numerical analysis and dynamic modeling of these spatial patterns.

Methods/result

In this work, first standardized gene expression profiles are generated from publicly available N. vectensis embryo images that display mRNA and/or protein distributio

SUBMITTER: Botman D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4116165 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature