Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026
09:31
Expression of Fluorescent Proteins in Branchiostoma lanceolatum by mRNA Injection into Unfertilized Oocytes
Published on: January 12, 2015
10.5K
[Phylogenetic analysis and expression patterns of tropomyosin in amphioxus]
Xin-Yi Li1, Yu-Shuang Lin, Hong-Wei Zhang
1Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China. lixinyi@snnu.edu.cn
Dong Wu Xue Yan Jiu = Zoological Research
|August 3, 2012
Summary
Amphioxus tropomyosin, a mesoderm gene, shows high similarity to other tropomyosins. Its expression patterns suggest a crucial role in embryonic development and adult life.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Evolution
Context:
- Tropomyosin is a conserved protein involved in muscle function and cellular structure.
- Understanding tropomyosin evolution and function in basal chordates like amphioxus provides insights into vertebrate origins.
Purpose:
- To identify and characterize the amphioxus tropomyosin gene.
- To investigate the spatiotemporal expression patterns of amphioxus tropomyosin during embryonic and larval development.
- To determine the phylogenetic position of amphioxus tropomyosin within the broader tropomyosin family.
Summary:
- A novel mesoderm-related gene, tropomyosin, was identified in amphioxus, encoding a 284-amino acid protein with high homology to known tropomyosins.
- Phylogenetic analysis places amphioxus tropomyosin as an independent lineage at the base of the vertebrate clade.
- Whole-mount in situ hybridization revealed tropomyosin transcripts from the early neurula stage, with expression in the archenteron, notochord, muscle, somites, and neural tube throughout development and into adulthood.
Impact:
- The findings suggest tropomyosin plays a significant role in amphioxus embryonic development and adult organ function.
- This study contributes to understanding the evolutionary history and conserved functions of tropomyosin in chordates.
