1. Expression patterns of musashi homologs of the ascidians, Halocynthia roretzi and Ciona intestinalis.
- Author
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Kawashima, T., Murakami, A. R., Ogasawara, M., Tanaka, K. J., Isoda, R., Sasakura, Y., Nishikata, T., Okano, H., and Makabe, K. W.
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GENE expression ,SEA squirts ,CIONA intestinalis ,MOLECULAR genetics ,ANIMAL genetics ,RNA-protein interactions ,NEUROGENETICS - Abstract
The gene family encoding RNA-binding proteins includes important regulators involved in the neurogenesis in both protostomes and deuterostomes. We isolated cDNAs of the ascidian homolog of one of the RNA-binding proteins, MUSASHI, from Halocynthia roretzi and Ciona intestinalis. The predicted amino acid sequences contained two RNA-recognition and RNA-binding motifs in the N-terminus and an ascidian-specific YG-rich domain in the C-terminus. Maternal transcripts of musashi were ubiquitous in early cleavage-stage embryos. Ascidian musashi had three domains of zygotic expression: the brain, nerve cord, and mesenchyma. The temporal order of the onset in these domains was highly divergent between the two species of ascidian examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2000
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