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Localization of major yolk protein in the digestive tract of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius

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Abstract

In the present study, we examined the localization of the major yolk protein (MYP) in the intestine of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius. First, partial MYP complementary DNA was isolated from the sea urchin intestine. The expression level of MYP messenger RNA (mRNA) along the sea urchin digestive tract is highest in the intestine, so we performed in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analysis using this tissue. No MYP mRNA was detected in the luminal epithelium, connective tissue, muscle tissue, or coelomic epithelium by in situ hybridization analysis. Positive immunohistochemical staining was observed in the luminal epithelium, inner epithelium and connective tissue, the signal being strongest in the latter. We conclude that MYP synthesized in the inner epithelial cells is moved to and stored in connective tissue and the luminal epithelium, before being secreted into the body cavity and the inner digestive cavity of the sea urchin.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. P. M. Lokman, Department of Zoology, University of Otago for critically reading the manuscript. Thanks are also due to Dr. Hiroyuki Munehara, Usujiri Fisheries Station, Field Science Center for the Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, for providing samples and helpful advice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Fisheries Science, Hokkaido University, 3-1-1 Minato-cho, Hakodate, 041-8611, Japan

    Kazuhiro Ura

  2. Laboratory of Comparative Physiology, Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, 3-1-1 Minato-cho, Hakodate, 041-8611, Japan

    Yuki Okashita, Heng Wang, Shiori Tsue, Osamu Nishimiya & Yasuaki Takagi

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  1. Yuki Okashita
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  2. Heng Wang
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  3. Shiori Tsue
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  4. Osamu Nishimiya
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  5. Kazuhiro Ura
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  6. Yasuaki Takagi
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Correspondence to Kazuhiro Ura.

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Okashita, Y., Wang, H., Tsue, S. et al. Localization of major yolk protein in the digestive tract of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius . Fish Sci 83, 803–810 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-017-1118-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-017-1118-9

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