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Published on: January 26, 2013
Developmental expression of the hemichordate otx ortholog
1Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. harada@ascidian.zool.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
The phylogenetic location of hemichordates is unique because they seem to fill an evolutionary gap between echinoderms and chordates. We report here characterization of Pf-otx, a hemichordate ortholog of otx, with its embryonic and larval expression pattern. Pf-otx is initially expressed in the vegetal plate of the blastula. Expression remains evident in the archenteron through gastrulation and then disappears. A new expression domain appears near the mouth along the preoral and postoral ciliated bands in the early tornaria larva.
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