Expression patterns of duplicated snail genes in the leech Helobdella
Research article published in Development genes and evolution (2017)
Abstract
snail gene family members are zinc-finger transcription factors with key roles in morphogenesis. Involvement of snail family genes in mesoderm formation has been observed in insects and mammals. The snail genes are also involved in cell motility, neural differentiation, cell fate, survival decision, and left-right identity. The functions of snail genes have been studied primarily among ecdysozoans and deuterostomes, with relatively little work carried out in lophotrochozoans. In this study, we isolated two snail homologs (Hau-snail1 and Hau-snail2) from the leech Helobdella austinensis. We characterized the temporal and spatial expression patterns of these two genes by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. The expression of Hau-snail1 and Hau-snail2 correlates with ventral nerve cord (VNC) development, segmental mesoderm, and with a ring of cells that comes to lie at the base of the leech proboscis, respectively, showing similarity to the divergent expression of duplicated snail genes in polychaetes. Our results do not support the function of lophotrochozoan snail genes in mesoderm specification.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
Expression patterns of duplicated snail genes in the leech Helobdella.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This study isolated and characterized the temporal and spatial expression patterns of two duplicated snail gene homologs (Hau-snail1 and Hau-snail2) in the leech Helobdella austinensis. Using semi-quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization, the researchers found that these transcription factors correlate with ventral nerve cord development and a ring of cells at the base of the proboscis, rather than mesoderm specification. While this provides insights into the evolutionary developmental biology of lophotrochozoans, it has no relevance to ASH or clinical practice. The research is strictly a genetic study, yielding no information regarding the therapeutic use of leeches or their salivary secretions.
Citation
Expression patterns of duplicated snail genes in the leech Helobdella
Kim JS et al. · Development genes and evolution, 2017
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