Brachyury downstream notochord differentiation in the ascidian embryo

Article Abstract:

Downstream notochord differentiation by Brachyury in the ascidian embryo has been studied. Brachyury is essential for notochord differentiation in vertebrates and in the ascidian tadpole, which has the most simplified chordate body design. The misexpression of the Brachyury gene (Ci-Bra) of Ciona intestinalis, an ascidian, is enough to transform endoderm into notochord. Subtractive hybridization screens were conducted to identify potential Brachyury target genes induced on Ci-Bra misexpression. The potential Ci-Bra downstream genes seem to encode a broad spectrum of divergent proteins associated with notochord formation.

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A novel cis-regulatory element, the PTS, mediates an anti-insulator activity in the Drosophila embryo

Article Abstract:

Results demonstrate that the cis-regulatory sequence termed the promoter targeting sequence (PTS) aids distal enhancers to overcome blocking by Fab-8 insulator. Data further suggest that PTS mediates conversion of dominant, long-rage insulators into local regulatory elements.

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The ascidian as a model organism in developmental and evolutionary biology

Article Abstract:

Recent research reveals that developmental aspects of ascidian larva and vetebrate tadpole demonstrate similarities at evolutionary and molecular levels. Data indicate that same genes are preferentially expressed in both ascidian and vetebrate notochord and nervous systems.

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