Seminar 'Development of DNAi-mediated gene knockdown and analysis of maternal factors using DNAi screening in the appendicularian Oikopleura dioica.'

Title: Development of DNAi-mediated gene knockdown and analysis of maternal factors using DNAi screening in the appendicularian Oikopleura dioica.

Speaker: Dr. Tatsuya Omotezako

Tatsuya Omotezako is a recently graduated PhD student from the lab of Hiroki Nishida at Osaka University. The Nishida lab studies cellular and molecular mechanisms of differentiation and morphogenesis during tunicate embryogenesis.

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Date : Tuesday, March 1st 2016

Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm

Venue: C015 (Level C, Lab1)

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Abstract:

Maternal factors that are loaded into egg cytoplasm are known to play important roles, such as axis specification and cell fate determination, in a wide range of organisms. However, there is limited knowledge of the functions of maternal factors due to difficulties in inhibiting their functions comprehensively.

Oikopleura dioica (O.dioica) is a planktonic tunicate belonging to the chordate phylum. This animal is expected to be a new model organism in developmental biology because of its biological traits, i) small number of consistent cells, ii) quick development, and iii) transparent embryo and adult body.

In this seminar, I will introduce a new gene knockdown method, DNA interference, which is a gene silencing system induced by exogenous double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). PCR-amplified DNA fragments introduced by gonadal microinjection, which have homologous sequences to endogenous genes, promoted transcriptional inhibition and post transcriptional inhibition in O. dioica. Gonadal microinjection enables gene knockdown in the ovary and this can be an efficient method for maternal factor screening in a chordate.

Host: Dr. Garth Ilsley, Genomics and Regulatory System Unit