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Expression of a Musashi ‐like gene in sexual and asexual development of the colonial chordate Botryllus schlosseri and phylogenetic analysis of the protein group
Author(s) -
Gasparini Fabio,
Shimeld Sebastian M.,
Ruffoni Elena,
Burighel Paolo,
Manni Lucia
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of experimental zoology part b: molecular and developmental evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1552-5015
pISSN - 1552-5007
DOI - 10.1002/jez.b.21431
Subject(s) - biology , chordate , gene , phylogenetic tree , evolutionary biology , genetics , piwi interacting rna , rna binding protein , rna , computational biology , vertebrate , rna interference
Abstract Tunicates are the unique chordates to possess species reproducing sexually and asexually. Among them, the colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri is a reference model for the study of similarities and differences in these two developmental pathways. We here illustrate the characterization and expression pattern during both pathways of a transcript for a gene orthologous to Dazap1 . Dazap1 genes encode for RNA‐binding proteins and fall into the Musashi ‐like ( Msi ‐like) group. Our phylogenetic analysis shows that these are related to other RNA‐binding proteins (Tardbp and several heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins types) that share the same modular domain structure of conserved tandem RNA Recognition Motifs (RRMs). We also classify the whole group as derived from a single ancient duplication of the RRM. Our results also show that Dazap1 is expressed with discrete spatiotemporal pattern during embryogenesis and blastogenesis of B. schlosseri . It is never expressed in wholly differentiated tissues, but it is located in all bud tissues and in different spatiotemporally defined territories of embryos and larva. These expression patterns could indicate different roles in the two processes, but an intriguing relationship appears if aspects of cell division dynamics are taken into account, suggesting that it is related to the proliferative phases in all tissues, and raising a similarity with known Dazap1 orthologs in other metazoans. Dev. Evol.) 316:562–573, 2011 . © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.