Premium
Identification of four Engrailed genes in the Japanese lamprey, Lethenteron japonicum
Author(s) -
Matsuura Manami,
Nishihara Hidenori,
Onimaru Koh,
Kokubo Nobuhiro,
Kuraku Shigehiro,
Kusakabe Rie,
Okada Norihiro,
Kuratani Shigeru,
Tanaka Mikiko
Publication year - 2008
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.21552
Subject(s) - biology , engrailed , ectoderm , lamprey , hindbrain , hox gene , anatomy , gene , homeobox , midbrain , genetics , embryogenesis , gene expression , central nervous system , neuroscience , fishery
We have isolated four homologs of Engrailed genes from the Japanese lamprey, Lethenteron japonicum , an agnathan that occupies a critical phylogenic position between cephalochordates and gnathostomes. We named these four genes LjEngrailedA, LjEngrailedB, LjEngrailedC , and LjEngrailedD. LjEngrailedA, LjEngrailedB , and LjEngrailedD share a major expression domain in the presumptive midbrain–hindbrain boundary region of the central nervous system, although their levels and timing of expression differed. On the other hand, LjEngrailedC transcripts were in the pharyngeal ectoderm and the ventral ectoderm of the body wall. In addition, LjEngrailedA was expressed in the ventral side of the epibranchial muscle precursors. LjEngrailedD transcripts were seen in the mesodermal cells of the mandibular arch and later in a group of cells responsible for the formation of the upper lip, lower lip, and velum. Our results provide clues to the evolution of these structures as well as a possible scenario for duplication events of Engrailed genes. Developmental Dynamics 237:1581–1589, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.