Developmental biology of the appendicularian, Oikopleura dioica: Tool development and study of developmental phenomena.

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26840079
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Developmental biology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Onuma Takeshi 大阪大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (30632103)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: オタマボヤ / 脊索動物 / 胚発生 / 器官形成 / ゲノム / トランスクリプトーム / 細胞系譜 / ライブイメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The apppendicularian, Oikopleura dioica, is a planktonic tunicate with a chordate body plan. It is proposed as a simplest model chromate because of its transparency, small cell number, simple body organization, and rapid development. This study aimed to develop genetic approaches and study developmental phenomena of O. dioica. Several major progresses are made during the 2 years for research period: (1) RNA-seq and de novo assemble of mRNAs in eggs and larvae were carried out; (2) A new gene knockdown phenomena induced by double-stranded DNA was found and reported as DNAi; (3) A morphological atlas of adults based on scanning electron microscopic observation was generated; (4) Trunk epidermis patterning and assynmetries of cell lineage of adult body were described with the aid of live imaging techniques; (5) A easy-to-use protocol to detect mRNAs in embryos was developed; and (6) Genome and developmental transcriptome databases are under constructions.

Free Research Field

発生生物学、発生遺伝学