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Basic leucine zipper transcription factors C/EBP and MafL in the hydrozoan jellyfish Podocoryne carnea
Author(s) -
Seipel Katja,
Yanze Nathalie,
Müller Peter,
Streitwolf Ruth,
Schmid Volker
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.20061
Subject(s) - biology , transdifferentiation , jellyfish , leucine zipper , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , transcription factor , metamorphosis , anatomy , larva , genetics , botany , stem cell , ecology
Members of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) and the Maf protein subfamilies have been characterized in a variety of bilaterian organisms. This is the first report of C / EBP and MafL genes in a basal organism, the hydrozoan jellyfish Podocoryne carnea . Transcripts of both genes are present in all life cycle stages: egg, embryo, larva, polyp, and medusa. During early development, both factors appear to regulate metamorphosis of the larva to the primary polyp. Both genes are also expressed in the striated muscle of the developing and adult medusa. During in vitro transdifferentiation of striated muscle cells to smooth muscle and nerve cells, C / EBP is continuously expressed, whereas MafL expression is turned off during transdifferentiation and reactivated when nerve cells differentiate. Thus, both factors may be involved in muscle and nerve cell differentiation. In the mature medusa both genes are also implicated in gametogenesis. Developmental and evolutionary aspects of the gene structures and expression patterns are discussed. Developmental Dynamics 230:392–402, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.