Project description:In Ciona intestinalis, the palps consist of three conical protrusions within a field of thickened epithelium that form late in embryogenesis as tailbuds mature into larvae. The palp protrusions express the LIM-homeodomain transcription factor Islet. Protrusion occurs through differential cell elongation, likely mediated by Islet, as we find that ectopic expression of Islet is sufficient to promote cell elongation. FGF signaling is required for both Islet expression and palp morphogenesis. Importantly, we show that Islet expression can rescue the palp-deficient phenotype that results from inhibition of FGF signaling. We conclude that Islet is a key regulatory factor governing morphogenesis of the palps. It is conceivable that Islet is also essential for the cellular morphogenesis of placode-derived sensory neurons in vertebrates. Islet expression can rescue the palp-deficient phenotype that results from inhibition of FGF signaling, and conclude that Islet is a key regulatory factor governing morphogenesis of the palps. Three biological replicates were analyzed for both sample types (Fox positive and Negative).
Project description:Recent whole-genome studies and in-depth expressed sequence tag (EST) analyses have identified most of the developmentally relevant genes in the urochordate, Ciona intestinalis. In this study, we made use of a large-scale oligo-DNA microarray to further investigate and identify genes with specific or correlated expression profiles. This large-scale oligo-DNA microarray for C. intestinalis should facilitate the understanding of global gene expression and gene networks during the development and ageing of a basal chordate. Keywords: gene expression, development, ageing, life cycle
Project description:In Ciona intestinalis, the palps consist of three conical protrusions within a field of thickened epithelium that form late in embryogenesis as tailbuds mature into larvae. The palp protrusions express the LIM-homeodomain transcription factor Islet. Protrusion occurs through differential cell elongation, likely mediated by Islet, as we find that ectopic expression of Islet is sufficient to promote cell elongation. FGF signaling is required for both Islet expression and palp morphogenesis. Importantly, we show that Islet expression can rescue the palp-deficient phenotype that results from inhibition of FGF signaling. We conclude that Islet is a key regulatory factor governing morphogenesis of the palps. It is conceivable that Islet is also essential for the cellular morphogenesis of placode-derived sensory neurons in vertebrates. Islet expression can rescue the palp-deficient phenotype that results from inhibition of FGF signaling, and conclude that Islet is a key regulatory factor governing morphogenesis of the palps.
Project description:Tunicate ascidians exhibit metamorphosis that converts tadpole, swimming larva into immotile adult. In ascidian Ciona intestinalis, the mutant tail regression failed (trf) which shows defects in the metamorphosis was previously reported (Nakayama-Ishimura et al., 2009). In the metamorphosis process, trf larvae settle normally with their adhesive papillae, but do not start tail regression, papillae retraction and sensory vesicle retraction, while development of adult organs proceed. To understand the molecular mechanism of the metamorphosis, microarray analysis of trf mutant was performed.
Project description:High-throughput sequence analysis of the SL trans-spliced mRNA population of tailbud embryos of the ascidian tunicate chordate Ciona intestinalis
Project description:A genomic overview of in vivo binding of a transcription factor ZicL in the ascidian gastrula embryo. ZicL is a key regulator of the early ascidian development, and so called 'master-regulatory genes' for mesodermal and neural tissues are under the control of ZicL. Keywords: ChIP-chip