• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

It is suggested that FGF/Ras/MEK/Erk signaling plays crucial roles in specification and cell division of the mesodermal precursor cells in ascidian embryos. To investigate how the number of cell division in tissue precursor cells is determined, we have characterized Wee1 homolog, Hr-Wee1 of the ascidian Halocynthia roretzi. We found that the Hr-Wee1 mRNA is expressed both maternally and zygotically. Maternal transcript is localized to the cytoplasm in the animal cells, while zygotic expression is seen in cells of the endoderm lineage from 32-cell to 110-cell stages. Zygotic in situ signal is detected in the A-line neural plate cells of neurulae, and in epidermal cells of the head region of tailbud embryos. Embryos treated with MEK signaling inhibitor showed a similar pattern to normal embryos in expression of Hr-Wee1. Therefore, it is likely that MEK signaling does not affect the maternal and zygotic expression of Hr-Wee1.

• 한국동물학회지
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.550-556
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• 1995

c-myc proto-oncogene은 여러 세포들의 분화와 형질전화에 뿐만 아니라 정상세포의 분열조절에도 관여한다고 알려져왔다. 특히 생쥐의 초기배아에서 c-myc mRNA가 발현되고 antisense c-myc oligomer의 미세주입에 의해 배발생이 억제된다는 연구결과는 c-myc이 초기배아의 발생 및 분열에 관여하는 것을 시사한다. 그러나 최근까지 초기배아에 존재하는 c-myc promoter의 기능적 활성화에 관한 연구는 미진하였다. 이를 위하여, c-myc promoter와 대장균의 lacZ 유전자를 결합시킨 두 종류의 vector(pcmyc-Gall, pcmyc-Ga12)를 만들어 수정란의 전핵에 미세주입한 후, 배 발생에 따른 c-myc promoter의 활성화를 lacZ 유전자의 산물인 $\beta$-galactosidase 에 의한 X-gal 염색으로 조사하였다. 미세주입된 초기 배아는 2세포기 배아를 포함하는 여러 발생단계에서 $\beta$-galactosidase 의 활성을 보였다. 이는 c-myc 유전자가 배아의 게놈유전자로부터 발현되며, 또한 궁극적으로 초기 배아의 발생과정에 중요한 역할을 하고 있음을 시사하고 있다.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.389-397
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• 2013

FGF9/16/20 signaling pathway specify the developmental fates of notochord, mesenchyme, and neural cells in ascidian embryos. Although a conserved Ras/MEK/Erk/Ets pathway is known to be involved in this signaling, the detailed mechanisms of regulation of FGF signaling pathway have remained largely elusive. In this study, we have isolated Hr-Erf, an ascidian orthologue of vertebrate Erf, to elucidate interactions of transcription factors involved in FGF signaling of the ascidian embryo. The Hr-Erf cDNA encompassed 3110 nucleotides including sequence encoded a predicted polypeptide of 760 amino acids. The polypeptide had the Ets DNA-binding domain in its N-terminal region. In adult animals, Hr-Erf mRNA was predominantly detected in muscle, and at lower levels in ganglion, gills, gonad, hepatopancreas, and stomach by quantitative real-time PCR (QPCR) method. During embryogenesis, Hr-Erf mRNA was detected from eggs to early developmental stage embryos, whereas the transcript levels were decreased after neurula stage. Similar to the QPCR results, maternal transcripts of Hr-Erf was detected in the fertilized eggs by whole-mount in situ hybridization. Maternal mRNA of Hr-Erf was gradually lost from the neurula stage. Zygotic expression of Hr-Erf started in most blastomeres at the 8-cell stage. At gastrula stage, Hr-Erf was specifically expressed in the precursor cells of brain and mesenchyme. When MEK inhibitor was treated, embryos resulted in loss of Hr-Erf expression in mesenchyme cells, and in excess of Hr-Erf in a-line neural cells. These results suggest that zygotic Hr-Erf products are involved in specification of mesenchyme and neural cells.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.411-418
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• 2009

We are reporting the identification, expression patterns, and possible biological functions of zebrafish kif3b (kif3bz) encoding 475 amino acids. Kif3Bz contains the kinesin motor domain, catalytic domain, KISc domain, and one single coiled coil domain. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that kif3bz is a highly conserved gene among the tested vertebrates. First of all, both maternal and zygotic messages of kif3bz were evenly distributed in the blastomeres at 2-cell stage. Its ubiquitous expression throughout the blastomeres continued till 40% epiboly. However, kif3bz transcripts became restricted in Kupffer's vesicle at tailbud and 6-somite stages. At 13-somite stage, kif3bz expression pattern became specific to the telencephalon, diencephalon, trigeminal placode, and somites. Such expression patterns were further intensified in the telencephalon, diencephalons, hind brain, pronephric ducts, optic vesicles, and spinal cord neurons in the 23-somite stage embryos, and last till 24 hpf. We discussed possible functions of Kif3Bz related to the vertebrate embryonic development.

• 한국동물번식학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국동물번식학회 2004년도 춘계학술발표대회
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• pp.231-231
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• 2004

Successful embryonic development is dependant on temporal and stage-specific expression of appropriate genes. However, information on specific gene expression during early cleavage before zygotic gene activation (ZGA) is lacking. In the present study, we compared gene expression between porcine parthenotes 2-cell and blastocyst embryos to identify the genes that are specifically or prominently expressed by employing annealing control primers (ACP)-based Gene Fishing RCR. (omitted)

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.355-361
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• 1997

We have screened available chromosomal deficiencies on the X chromosome for genetic loci whose zygotic expression is required for body-wall muscle development during embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Previously, it had been reported that no sign of muscle development was detected in nullo-X embryos arrested at an early stage of embryogenesis. Based on this observation, it has been suggested that genetic loci exist on the X chromosome whose zygotic expression is essential for body-wall muscle formation. In order to identify such myogenic loci, 9 chromosomal deficiencies covering approximately 45% of the X chromosome have been tested. Homozygous embryos from these deficiency strains were collected and terminal phenotypes of arrested embryos were observed by Nomarski microscopy. As a secondary assay, monoclonal antibodies against two myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms, the products of the myo-3 and unc-54 genes, were used to detect body-wall muscle differentiation. All the homozygous deficiency embryos were positively stained with both MHC antibodies and muscle twitching movement was observed in most cases. Combined with previously analyzed deficiencies, our deficiency screen has covered approximately 70% of the X chromosome. We conclude that the regions covered by the available deficiencies on the X chromosome do not include any myogenic locus required for body-wall muscle formation. Alternatively, the possibility that nullo-X embryo may not form body-wall muscle due to a general failure to differentiate during embryogenesis remains to be tested.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.371-378
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• 2012

Notch signaling plays fundamental roles in various animal development. It has been suggested that Hr-Notch, a Notch homologue in the ascidian Halocynthia roretzi, is involved in the formation of peripheral neurons by suppressing the neural fates and promoting the epidermal differentiation. However, roles of Notch signaling remain controversial in the formation of nervous system in ascidian embryos. To precisely investigate functions of Notch signaling, we have isolated and characterized Hr-Numb, a Numb homologue which is a negative regulator of Notch signaling, in H. roretzi. Maternal expression of Hr-Numb mRNAs was detected in egg cytoplasm and the transcripts were inherited by the animal blastomeres. Its zygotic expression became evident by the early neurula stage and the transcripts were detected in dorsal neural precursor cells. Suppression of Hr-Numb function by an antisense morpholino oligonucleotide resulted in larvae with defect in brain vesicle and palps formation. Similar results have been obtained by overexpression of the constitutively activated Hr-Notch forms. Therefore, these results suggest that Hr-Numb is involved in Notch signaling during ascidian embryogenesis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.576-582
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• 2008

Nervous system development takes place after positional information has been established along the dorsal-ventral (D/V) axis. The initial subdivision provided by a gradient of nuclear dorsal protein is maintained by the zygotic genes expressed along the D/V axis. In this study, an investigation was conducted to determine the range of Dpp function in repressing the expression of eagle (eg) that is present in intermediate neuroblasts defective (ind) and muscle specific homeobox (msh) gene domain. eg is expressed in neuroblast (NB) 2-4, 3-3 and 6-4 of the msh domain, and NB7-3 of the ind domain at the embryonic stage 11. In decapentaplegic (dpp) loss-of-function mutant embryos, eg was ectopically expressed in the dorsal region, while in dpp gain-of-function mutants produced by sog or sca-GAL4/UAS-dpp, eg was repressed by Dpp. It is worthy of note that Dpp produced from sim;;dpp embryos showed that Dpp could function at long range. However, Dpp produced from en-GAL4/UAS-dpp or wg-GAL4/UAS-dpp primarily acted at short-range. This result demonstrated that this discrepancy seems to be due to the repression of Dpp to EGFR signaling in sim;;dpp embryos. Taken together, these results suggest that Dpp signaling works at short-range, but can function indirectly at long-range by way of repression of EGFR signaling during embryonic neurogenesis.

• 한국발생생물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국발생생물학회 2003년도 제3회 국제심포지움 및 학술대회
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• pp.109-109
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• 2003

Even though success in birth of live offspring from nuclear transfer(NT) using somatic cells in many species, detailed information on processes or mechanisms of development are not well known. Cytoplasm of bovine oocyte has been known to support the development of nuclear transferred embryos using nuclear donor cells from different species. Therefore, interspecies NT might be used to find answers of some questions in basic aspect of nuclear transfer In this study, we examined the developmental potential of reconstructed embryos when bovine oocyte as a cytoplasm recipient and mouse embryonic fibroblast as a nuclear donor were used. The nuclear transfer units were aliocated in Group 1 (murine block media and normal media) and Group 2. (bovine block media and normal media). NT units were not blocked at 2-cell stage regardless of types of medium. On mouse media, poor development of interspecies NT units was observed compared to bovine media. However, as NT units cultured in bovine normal medium, embryos developed over 8-cell stage. Further studies performed to increase the developmental rate in condition of antioxidant treatment. Despite low development, bovine-murine interspecies nuclear transferred embryos could develop to blastocysts and they showed that blastocyts rate of antioxidant group was superior to those of non-antioxidant group. Next, we investigated gene expression pattern which is carried out for zygotic activation. The Xist gene is expressed in female mouse embryo after zygotic activation of 4-cell stage. But interspecies nuclear transferred embryos do not express Xist gene at 4-cell stage. As a result, it is suggested that the bovine cytoplasm controls the early preimplantation development in interspecies NT However, the development of later stages might require genomic control from transferred donor nucleus. Therefore, even though the involvement of several other factors such as mitochondrial incompatibility, effective development of embryos produced by interspecies NT requires proper genomic activation of donor nucleus after overcoming the cytoplasmic control of recipient oocytes.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제13권8호
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• pp.3532-3536
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• 2012

난자 세포의 정상적인 성숙과정을 이해하려면 모계유래 유전자 발현 증가의 분자 생물학적 기전을 밝혀내야 한다. 이것은 모계 유전자의 염기서열의 변화와 밀접한 관계가 있다. 전 연구결과에 의하면 돼지 난자 체외 성숙과정에서의 모계 유전자 mRNA 발현은 통상적으로 poly(A) 꼬리 길이와 아데닐산 중합반응에 의하여 검증된다. 하지만 포유동물 체외성숙 과정에서는 아직까지 밝혀진 것이 없다. 따라서 본 연구목적은 성숙단계 난모세포에서의 분자생물학적 기전을 해명하고자, 4개의 중요한 모계유전자발현을 real-time PCR기법으로 확인하여 poly(A) 꼬리 길이와 아데닐산중합반응의 변화를 확인하였다. 본 연구에서 접합체 유전자 활성화 단계에서 모계 유전자의 비정상적인 발현과 이것에 상응하는 단백질 수준의 억제는 일부 혹은 대부분 유전자 손실에 의하여 초래된 것임을 알 수 있었다. 따라서 이상적인 모계 유전자 발현은 난자 세포의 성숙 및 더 나가서 초기 배아 발달에 중요한 역할을 하는 것임을 확인 하였다.