Identification of runt family genes involved in planarian regeneration and tissue homeostasis.
The runt family genes play important roles in physiological processes in eukaryotic organisms by regulation of protein transcription, such as hematopoietic system, proliferation of gastric epithelial cells and neural development. However, it remains unclear about the specific functions of these genes. In this study, the full-length cDNA sequences of two runt genes are first cloned from Dugesia japonica, and their roles are investigated by WISH and RNAi. The results show that: (1) the Djrunts are conserved during evolution; (2) the Djrunts mRNA are widely expressed in intact and regenerative worms, and their expression levels are up-regulated significantly on day 1 after amputation; (3) loss of Djrunts function lead to lysis or regeneration failure in the intact and regenerating worms. Overall, the data suggests that Djrunts play important roles in regeneration and homeostatic maintenance in planarians.
['Dong|Zimei|Z|', 'Yang|Yibo|Y|', 'Chen|Guangwen|G|', 'Liu|Dezeng|D|']
D000818:Animals D015801:Helminth Proteins D006706:Homeostasis D010802:Phylogeny D010932:Planarians D012038:Regeneration D014157:Transcription Factors
Planarian Regeneration Runt gene Stem cells