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タイトル: A Twist-like bHLH gene is a downstream factor of an endogenous FGF and determines mesenchymal fate in the ascidian embryos著者: Imai, Kaoru S.; Satoh, Nori; Satou, Yutaka抄録: Ascidian larvae develop mesenchyme cells in their trunk. A fibroblast growth factor (FGF9/16/20) is essential and sufficient for induction of the mesenchyme in Ciona savignyi. We have identified two basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) genes named Twist-like1 and Twist-like2 as downstream factors of this FGF. These two genes are phylogenetically closely related to each other, and were expressed specifically in the mesenchymal cells after the 110-cell stage. Gene-knockdown experiments using a specific morpholino oligonucleotide demonstrated that Twist-like1 plays an essential role in determination of the mesenchyme and that Twist-like2 is a downstream factor of Twist-like1. In addition, both overexpression and misexpression of Twist-like1 converts non-mesenchymal cells to mesenchymal cells. We also demo ...