TY - JOUR
T1 - Expression of neuropeptide- and hormone-encoding genes in the Ciona intestinalis larval brain
AU - Hamada, Mayuko
AU - Shimozono, Naoki
AU - Ohta, Naoyuki
AU - Satou, Yutaka
AU - Horie, Takeo
AU - Kawada, Tsuyoshi
AU - Satake, Honoo
AU - Sasakura, Yasunori
AU - Satoh, Nori
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank Kazuko Hirayama and all of the members of the Maizuru Fisheries Research Station of Kyoto University for culturing the Ciona intestinalis . This work was supported by the National BioResource Project and by a Grant-in-Aid (No. 20247031 to N.S.) from JSPS, Japan .
PY - 2011/4/15
Y1 - 2011/4/15
N2 - Despite containing only approximately 330 cells, the central nervous system (CNS) of Ciona intestinalis larvae has an architecture that is similar to the vertebrate CNS. Although only vertebrates have a distinct hypothalamus-the source of numerous neurohormone peptides that play pivotal roles in the development, function, and maintenance of various neuronal and endocrine systems, it is suggested that the Ciona brain contains a region that corresponds to the vertebrate hypothalamus. To identify genes expressed in the brain, we isolated brain vesicles using transgenic embryos carrying Ci-β-tubulin(promoter)::Kaede, which resulted in robust Kaede expression in the larval CNS. The associated transcriptome was investigated using microarray analysis. We identified 565 genes that were preferentially expressed in the larval brain. Among these genes, 11 encoded neurohormone peptides including such hypothalamic peptides as gonadotropin-releasing hormone and oxytocin/vasopressin. Six of the identified peptide genes had not been previously described. We also found that genes encoding receptors for some of the peptides were expressed in the brain. Interestingly, whole-mount in situ hybridization showed that most of the peptide genes were expressed in the ventral brain. This catalog of the genes expressed in the larval brain should help elucidate the evolution, development, and functioning of the chordate brain.
AB - Despite containing only approximately 330 cells, the central nervous system (CNS) of Ciona intestinalis larvae has an architecture that is similar to the vertebrate CNS. Although only vertebrates have a distinct hypothalamus-the source of numerous neurohormone peptides that play pivotal roles in the development, function, and maintenance of various neuronal and endocrine systems, it is suggested that the Ciona brain contains a region that corresponds to the vertebrate hypothalamus. To identify genes expressed in the brain, we isolated brain vesicles using transgenic embryos carrying Ci-β-tubulin(promoter)::Kaede, which resulted in robust Kaede expression in the larval CNS. The associated transcriptome was investigated using microarray analysis. We identified 565 genes that were preferentially expressed in the larval brain. Among these genes, 11 encoded neurohormone peptides including such hypothalamic peptides as gonadotropin-releasing hormone and oxytocin/vasopressin. Six of the identified peptide genes had not been previously described. We also found that genes encoding receptors for some of the peptides were expressed in the brain. Interestingly, whole-mount in situ hybridization showed that most of the peptide genes were expressed in the ventral brain. This catalog of the genes expressed in the larval brain should help elucidate the evolution, development, and functioning of the chordate brain.
KW - Ciona intestinalis
KW - Genes expressed in the brain
KW - Hormone peptides
KW - Microarray
KW - Neuropeptides
KW - Receptors
KW - Transgenic line
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.01.006
DO - 10.1016/j.ydbio.2011.01.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 21237141
AN - SCOPUS:79953028952
VL - 352
SP - 202
EP - 214
JO - Developmental Biology
JF - Developmental Biology
SN - 0012-1606
IS - 2
ER -