First published online December 1, 2003
Development 130, 2601e (2003)
© The Company of Biologists Limited
C. intestinalis genes in reverse
Reverse genetic screens have helped to characterise developmental genes in
several model organisms. Now, Yamada and co-workers have extended this type of
analysis to Ciona intestinalis, a marine invertebrate whose larvae
have the basic features of the chordate body plan (see
p. 6485). The
researchers have used morpholino antisense oligonucleotides to suppress the
translation of 200 embryonically expressed genes of unknown function. For 14
of these genes, suppression of translation resulted in gross morphological
abnormalities caused by early defects in embryogenesis. For a further 26
genes, suppression caused an abnormal tail phenotype, sometimes accompanied by
nervous system defects. Because two-thirds of the genes in C.
intestinalis are homologous to vertebrate genes, Yamada et al. conclude
that C. intestinalis embryos should provide a powerful experimental
system for the identification of developmental genes required for the
formation of the chordate body plan.
Related articles in Development:
- Morpholino-based gene knockdown screen of novel genes with developmental function in Ciona intestinalis
- Lixy Yamada, Eiichi Shoguchi, Shuichi Wada, Kenji Kobayashi, Yasuaki Mochizuki, Yutaka Satou, and Nori Satoh
Development 2003 130: 6485-6495.
[Abstract]
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