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Identification of a novel germ cell marker MnTdrd from the oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense
Germ cell-specific genes play an important role in establishing the reproductive system in sexual organisms and have been used as valuable markers for studying gametogenesis and sex differentiation. Previously, we isolated a vasa transcript as a germ cell marker to trace the origin and migration of...
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Published in: | Development genes and evolution 2021-03, Vol.231 (1-2), p.11-19 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | Germ cell-specific genes play an important role in establishing the reproductive system in sexual organisms and have been used as valuable markers for studying gametogenesis and sex differentiation. Previously, we isolated a
vasa
transcript as a germ cell marker to trace the origin and migration of germ cells in the oriental river prawn
Macrobrachium nipponense
. Here, we identified a new germ cell-specific marker
MnTdrd
RNA and assessed its temporal and spatial expression during oogenesis and embryogenesis.
MnTdrd
transcripts were expressed in high abundance in unfertilized eggs and embryos at cleavage stage and then dropped significantly during late embryogenesis, suggesting that
MnTdrd
mRNA is maternally inherited. In situ hybridization of ovarian tissue showed that
MnTdrd
mRNA was initially present in the cytoplasm of previtellogenic oocyte and localized to the perinuclear region as the accumulation of yolk in vitellogenic oocyte. Whole-mount in situ hybridization of embryos showed that
MnTdrd
-positive signals were only localized in one blastomere until 16-cell stage. In the blastula, there were approximately 16
MnTdrd
-positive blastomeres. During embryonized-zoea stage, the
MnTdrd
-positive cells aggregated as a cluster and migrated to the genital rudiment which would develop into primordial germ cells (PGCs). The localized expression pattern of
MnTdrd
transcripts resembled that of the previously identified germ cell marker
vasa
, supporting the preformation mode of germ cell specification. Therefore, we concluded that
MnTdrd
, together with
vasa
, is a component of the germ plasm and might have critical roles in germ cell formation and differentiation in the prawn. Thus,
MnTdrd
can be used as a novel germ cell marker to trace the origin and migration of germ cells. |
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ISSN: | 0949-944X 1432-041X |
DOI: | 10.1007/s00427-020-00671-8 |