Genome-wide analysis of the sox family in the calcareous sponge <it>Sycon ciliatum</it>: multiple genes with unique expression patterns

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sox genes are HMG-domain containing transcription factors with important roles in developmental processes in animals; many of them appear to have conserved functions among eumetazoans. Demosponges have fewer Sox genes than eumetazoan...

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Main Authors: Fortunato Sofia, Adamski Marcin, Bergum Brith, Guder Corina, Jordal Signe, Leininger Sven, Zwafink Christin, Rapp Hans, Adamska Maja
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2012-07-01
Series:EvoDevo
Online Access:http://www.evodevojournal.com/content/3/1/14
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spelling doaj-5e174ffe79cb4b669fdde4207b81e1c02020-11-25T00:52:16ZengBMCEvoDevo2041-91392012-07-01311410.1186/2041-9139-3-14Genome-wide analysis of the sox family in the calcareous sponge <it>Sycon ciliatum</it>: multiple genes with unique expression patternsFortunato SofiaAdamski MarcinBergum BrithGuder CorinaJordal SigneLeininger SvenZwafink ChristinRapp HansAdamska Maja<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sox genes are HMG-domain containing transcription factors with important roles in developmental processes in animals; many of them appear to have conserved functions among eumetazoans. Demosponges have fewer Sox genes than eumetazoans, but their roles remain unclear. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the early evolutionary history of the Sox gene family by identification and expression analysis of Sox genes in the calcareous sponge <it>Sycon ciliatum</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Calcaronean Sox related sequences were retrieved by searching recently generated genomic and transcriptome sequence resources and analyzed using variety of phylogenetic methods and identification of conserved motifs. Expression was studied by whole mount in situ hybridization.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have identified seven Sox genes and four Sox-related genes in the complete genome of <it>Sycon ciliatum</it>. Phylogenetic and conserved motif analyses showed that five of <it>Sycon</it> Sox genes represent groups B, C, E, and F present in cnidarians and bilaterians. Two additional genes are classified as Sox genes but cannot be assigned to specific subfamilies, and four genes are more similar to Sox genes than to other HMG-containing genes. Thus, the repertoire of Sox genes is larger in this representative of calcareous sponges than in the demosponge <it>Amphimedon queenslandica</it>. It remains unclear whether this is due to the expansion of the gene family in <it>Sycon</it> or a secondary reduction in the <it>Amphimedon</it> genome. <it>In situ</it> hybridization of <it>Sycon</it> Sox genes revealed a variety of expression patterns during embryogenesis and in specific cell types of adult sponges.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this study, we describe a large family of Sox genes in <it>Sycon ciliatum</it> with dynamic expression patterns, indicating that Sox genes are regulators in development and cell type determination in sponges, as observed in higher animals. The revealed differences between demosponge and calcisponge Sox genes repertoire highlight the need to utilize models representing different sponge lineages to describe sponge development, a prerequisite for deciphering evolution of metazoan developmental mechanisms.</p> http://www.evodevojournal.com/content/3/1/14
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Fortunato Sofia
Adamski Marcin
Bergum Brith
Guder Corina
Jordal Signe
Leininger Sven
Zwafink Christin
Rapp Hans
Adamska Maja
spellingShingle Fortunato Sofia
Adamski Marcin
Bergum Brith
Guder Corina
Jordal Signe
Leininger Sven
Zwafink Christin
Rapp Hans
Adamska Maja
Genome-wide analysis of the sox family in the calcareous sponge <it>Sycon ciliatum</it>: multiple genes with unique expression patterns
EvoDevo
author_facet Fortunato Sofia
Adamski Marcin
Bergum Brith
Guder Corina
Jordal Signe
Leininger Sven
Zwafink Christin
Rapp Hans
Adamska Maja
author_sort Fortunato Sofia
title Genome-wide analysis of the sox family in the calcareous sponge <it>Sycon ciliatum</it>: multiple genes with unique expression patterns
title_short Genome-wide analysis of the sox family in the calcareous sponge <it>Sycon ciliatum</it>: multiple genes with unique expression patterns
title_full Genome-wide analysis of the sox family in the calcareous sponge <it>Sycon ciliatum</it>: multiple genes with unique expression patterns
title_fullStr Genome-wide analysis of the sox family in the calcareous sponge <it>Sycon ciliatum</it>: multiple genes with unique expression patterns
title_full_unstemmed Genome-wide analysis of the sox family in the calcareous sponge <it>Sycon ciliatum</it>: multiple genes with unique expression patterns
title_sort genome-wide analysis of the sox family in the calcareous sponge <it>sycon ciliatum</it>: multiple genes with unique expression patterns
publisher BMC
series EvoDevo
issn 2041-9139
publishDate 2012-07-01
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sox genes are HMG-domain containing transcription factors with important roles in developmental processes in animals; many of them appear to have conserved functions among eumetazoans. Demosponges have fewer Sox genes than eumetazoans, but their roles remain unclear. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the early evolutionary history of the Sox gene family by identification and expression analysis of Sox genes in the calcareous sponge <it>Sycon ciliatum</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Calcaronean Sox related sequences were retrieved by searching recently generated genomic and transcriptome sequence resources and analyzed using variety of phylogenetic methods and identification of conserved motifs. Expression was studied by whole mount in situ hybridization.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have identified seven Sox genes and four Sox-related genes in the complete genome of <it>Sycon ciliatum</it>. Phylogenetic and conserved motif analyses showed that five of <it>Sycon</it> Sox genes represent groups B, C, E, and F present in cnidarians and bilaterians. Two additional genes are classified as Sox genes but cannot be assigned to specific subfamilies, and four genes are more similar to Sox genes than to other HMG-containing genes. Thus, the repertoire of Sox genes is larger in this representative of calcareous sponges than in the demosponge <it>Amphimedon queenslandica</it>. It remains unclear whether this is due to the expansion of the gene family in <it>Sycon</it> or a secondary reduction in the <it>Amphimedon</it> genome. <it>In situ</it> hybridization of <it>Sycon</it> Sox genes revealed a variety of expression patterns during embryogenesis and in specific cell types of adult sponges.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this study, we describe a large family of Sox genes in <it>Sycon ciliatum</it> with dynamic expression patterns, indicating that Sox genes are regulators in development and cell type determination in sponges, as observed in higher animals. The revealed differences between demosponge and calcisponge Sox genes repertoire highlight the need to utilize models representing different sponge lineages to describe sponge development, a prerequisite for deciphering evolution of metazoan developmental mechanisms.</p>
url http://www.evodevojournal.com/content/3/1/14
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