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Temporal and spatial expression of the Fox gene family in the Leech Helobdella austinensis
Author(s) -
Kwak HeeJin,
Ryu KyoungBin,
Medina Jiménez Brenda Irene,
Park Soon Cheol,
Cho SungJin
Publication year - 2018
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.22828
Subject(s) - biology , leech , genetics , fugu , bilateria , brachyury , gene , foregut , subfunctionalization , gene family , genome , mesoderm , phylogenetics , anatomy , embryonic stem cell , world wide web , computer science
The Forkhead box ( Fox ) gene family is an evolutionarily ancient gene family named after the Drosophila melanogaster forkhead gene ( fkh ). Fox genes are highly conserved transcription factors critical for embryogenesis and carcinogenesis. In the current study, we report a whole‐genome survey of Fox genes and their expression patterns in the leech Helobdella austienesis . Phylogenetic analysis suggests that some Fox genes of leeches are correlated with other Lophotrochozoa and vertebrate Fox genes. Here we have performed semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and whole‐mount in situ hybridization of Fox genes throughout the embryonic development of H. austinensis . We found that each one of the leech Fox genes ( FoxA1 , FoxA3 , FoxC , FoxL2 , FoxO1 , and FoxO2 ) is expressed in a specific set of cells or tissue type. From Stages 9–11, Hau‐FoxA1 was expressed in the foregut of the anterior region, and Hau‐FoxL2 was expressed in mesodermal muscle fiber. Hau‐FoxA3 was temporally expressed in the ventral neuroectoderm. At Stage 11, Hau‐FoxC was expressed in the foregut. Hau‐FoxO genes have a ubiquitous expression. Our results provide more insight on the evolutionary linkage and role of the Fox gene function in Bilateria.