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Bone morphogenetic protein is required for dorso‐ventral patterning in the planarian Dugesia japonica
Author(s) -
Orii Hidefumi,
Watanabe Kenji
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
development, growth and differentiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1440-169X
pISSN - 0012-1592
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-169x.2007.00931.x
Subject(s) - planarian , gene knockdown , anatomy , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , turbellaria , in situ hybridization , regeneration (biology) , gene , messenger rna , genetics
In order to clarify the function of the Djbmp ( Dugesia japonica bone morphogenetic protein) gene in planarian body patterning, we carried out knockdown of this gene by RNA interference. When the planarians were treated with double‐stranded RNA of Djbmp , a bulge formed on the dorsal side, with a dent in the middle of the bulge, and the body surface inside the dent was smoothened and less pigmented. In situ hybridization of the DjIFb gene, which is expressed in the body margin, revealed that the additional body margin was formed ectopically at the region surrounding the dent. The Djbmp ‐knockdown planarians often had a pair of incomplete nerve cords in the dorsal side, in addition to the original pair of ventral nerve cords. Taken together, we concluded that the Djbmp ‐knockdown induced formation of an ectopic ventral side, suggesting that Djbmp is required for the dorso‐ventral body patterning in the planarian.