The germline of multicellular animals is segregated from somatic tissues, which is an
essential developmental process for the next generation. Although certain ecdysozoans and …

Recent progress in reconstructing animal relationships enables us to draw a better picture of
the evolution of important characters such as organ systems and developmental processes …

Background The interaction of organisms with their surrounding microbial communities
influences many biological processes, a notable example of which is the sha** of the …

In vertebrates, epigenetic modifications influence gene transcription, and an appropriate
DNA methylation is critical in development. Indeed, a precise temporal and spatial pattern of …

The RNA helicase Vasa is a germ cell marker in animals, and its homolog in vertebrates to
date has been limited to bisexual reproduction. We cloned and characterized CagVasa, a …

Recent insights in evolutionary biology have shed light on epigenetic variation that interacts
with genetic variation to convey heritable information. An important characteristic of …

Males and females share the same genome, thus, phenotypic divergence requires
differential gene expression and sex-specific regulation. Accordingly, the analysis of …

Hatchery-reared larvae of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) often suffer from massive
mortality induced by Ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1) infection, indicating the importance of …

This study investigated the potential of RNA interference, which is technically challenging in
bivalve mollusc species, to assess gene function in the oyster Crassostrea gigas. We …

Background Germline determination is believed to occur by either preformation or
epigenesis. Animals that undergo germ cell specification by preformation have a continuous …