The expression of neural and developmental genes in Pleurobrachia bachei

Abstract

Brachyury and Forkhead are transcription factors that play an important role for development within organisms. Ctenophores are basal metazoans with little known about what kind of gene they have or where these genes are expressed. For these reasons, brachyury and forkhead are used as a markers in the ctenophore Pleurobrachia bachei. These genes were cloned and then used for in situ hybridizations in adults. This revealed distinctive expression patterns for brachyruy in the esophagus and stomach, while forkhead was expressed in the tentacles and combs rows of the animal. Not to mention, that through genomics and bioinformatics the forkhead genome has been discovered. Revealing that there is 24 forkhead genes within the genome of ctenophores.