Transforming growth 신호의 매개자 역할을 하는 Smad 계열 단백질은 발생과정에 중요한 역할을 한다고 알려져 있다. Estrogen receptor(ER)와 구조적으로 유사한 estrogen receptor-related receptor(ERR)은 포유동물에서 후기 배발생기에 외배엽 형성과 관련이 되어 있는 고아핵수용체이다. 본 연구에서는 해양무척추동물의 초기발생과정과 계절번식기 동안에 Smad3와 ERR의 유전자 발현이 발생과정과 성숙

Smad proteins mediate transforming growth signaling and play a pivotal role in embryonic development. The estrogen receptor-related receptors(ERRs), which are structurally similar to estrogen receptors, are members of orphan nuclear receptor in the nuclear receptor superfamily and their functions are known to be involved in the formation of extra-embryonic ectoderm. To investigate the involvement of Smad3 and like 1 in reproductive activities and embryogenesis in marine invertebrate, we examined gene expression of Smad3 and like 1 in Strongylocentrotus nudus during their seasonal changes and embryonic development using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The Smad3 mRNA levels in gonad showed an increasing pattern from February to June 2004 but decreased at August(spawning season) followed by an elevation of the levels at October and December 2004. The mRNA levels of the like 1 significantly elevated during the spawning season. During embryonic development, Smad3 mRNA levels at cell stages were significantly higher than those of other stages, whereas the mRNA of the like 1 was significantly high levels at late development stages, i.e., blastular, gastrula and plutei stages. These results suggest that the Smad3 could be involved at least in part in the early cleavage stages and the like 1 may play an important role in the spawning season and late developmental stage in the sea urchin.

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