Hohenstein KA, Lang SA, Nuthulaganti T, Shain DH. A glutamine-rich factor affects stem cell genesis in leech.
Stem Cells Int 2010;
2010:1-8. [PMID:
20890392 PMCID:
PMC2947457 DOI:
10.4061/2010/145183]
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Abstract
Leech embryogenesis is a model for investigating cellular and molecular processes of development. Due to the unusually large size of embryonic stem cells (teloblasts; 50 - 300 μm) in the glossiphoniid leech, Theromyzon tessulatum, and the presence of identifiable stem cell precursors (proteloblasts), we previously isolated a group of genes up-regulated upon stem cell birth. In the current study, we show that one of these genes, designated Tpr (Theromyzon proliferation), is required for normal stem cell genesis; specifically, transient Tpr knockdown experiments conducted with antisense oligonucleotides and monitored by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, caused abnormal proteloblast proliferation leading to embryonic death, but did not overtly affect neuroectodermal or mesodermal stem cell development once these cells were born. Tpr encodes a large, glutamine-rich (~34%) domain that shares compositional similarity with strong transcriptional enhancers, many of which have been linked with trinucleotide repeat disorders (e.g., Huntingtons).
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