The International Journal of Developmental Biology

Int. J. Dev. Biol. 53: 1113 - 1117 (2009)

https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.072526mp

Vol 53, Issue 7

Heterologous expression of DsRed2 in young sponges (Porifera)

Developmental Expression Pattern | Published: 22 May 2009

Martin Pfannkuchen* and Franz Brümmer

Universität Stuttgart, Biologisches Institut, Abteilung Zoologie, Stuttgart, Germany

Abstract

Sponges (Porifera) are currently considered to be the first branch off the Urmetazoa, common ancestors of all multicellular animals or metazoa. Research in the field of the developmental biology of sponges was restricted to morphological observations. Nowadays, research is mainly concentrated on larval development, primarily dealing with tissue formation. Already since 1907, methods for developing functional sponges from stem cells have been at hand. Functional freshwater sponges can be grown from stem cell populations originating from gemmulae. A number of poriferan sequences with high similarity to regulative genes in higher metazoa have already been found. We have now succeeded in heterologously expressing the red fluorescent protein DsRedN1 under the control of the cytomegalovirus promoter in young specimens of the freshwater sponge Spongilla lacustris. The protein folded correctly, polymerized and subsequently was detected by fluorescence microscopy. Reporting this expression system, we now consider this appealing system for early meatazoan development to be ready for molecular developmental biology and functional genetics research.

Keywords

porifera, freshwater sponge, heterologous expression, functional sponge, DsRed2, CMV

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