TY  - JOUR
TI  - Molecular markers for germ cell differentiation in 
the demosponge <I>Suberites domuncula</I>
AU  - Perovic-Ottstadt, Sanja
AU  - Cetkovic, Helena
AU  - Gamulin, Vera
AU  - Schroder, HeinzC.
AU  - Kropf, Klaus
AU  - Moss, Claire
AU  - Korzhev, Michael
AU  - Diehl-Seifert, Barbel
AU  - Muller, IsabelM.
AU  - Muller, WernerE.G.
T2  - The International Journal of Developmental Biology
AB  - Sponges (phylum Porifera) are simple metazoans for which no molecular 
information on gametogenesis and larval development is available. To support the current study, it 
was confirmed by histology that oocytes and larvae were produced by the demosponge 
Suberites domuncula. Three genes/expressed products from 
S. domuncula  whose expression correlated with sexual reproduction were identified and characterized (they are used here as marker 
genes): i) a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) with sequence similarity in the tyrosine kinase domain 
to fibroblast growth factor receptors; ii) the sex-determining protein FEM1 and iii) the 
sperm associated antigen (SAA) of triploblasts. Antibodies against the extracellular domain of the 
RTK specifically stained oocytes and larvae in S. 
domuncula tissue sections. Induction of these 
three genes was successful at elevated temperature, a factor which also promotes natural 
gametogenesis. In situ hybridization analyses revealed that FEM1 and SAA were expressed in those areas 
in which gametogenesis begins. Our results indicate that genes which play a role in sex 
determination may be present in Porifera.
PY  - 2004
DO  - 10.1387/ijdb.041813sp
VL  - 48
IS  - 4
SP  - 293
EP  - 305
J2  - Int. J. Dev. Biol.
LA  - en
SN  - 0214-6282
SN  - 1696-3547
UR  - https://ijdb.ehu.eus/article/041813sp
Y2  - 2024/11/05/17:20:37
ER  -