Mitochondrial genome of a Japanese placozoan.

Placozoans are marine invertebrates found in tropical and subtropical waters. Their body plan is among the simplest of free-living animals. The present study determined the mitochondrial genome sequence of a placozoan collected on the coast of Shirahama, Wakayama, Honshu, Japan, and compared it with those of Trichoplax adhaerens from the Red Sea and of three strains from the Caribbean Sea.

Distinction of cell types in Dicyema japonicum (phylum Dicyemida) by expression patterns of 16 genes.

Dicyemids (phylum Dicyemida) are endoparasites, or endosymbionts, typically found in the renal sac of benthic cephalopod molluscs. The body organization of dicyemids is very simple, consisting of only 9 to 41 somatic cells. Dicyemids appear to have no differentiated tissues.

Phylogenetic analysis of dicyemid mesozoans (phylum Dicyemida) from innexin amino acid sequences: dicyemids are not related to Platyhelminthes.

Dicyemid mesozoans are endoparasites, or endosymbionts, found only in the renal sac of benthic cephalopod molluscs. The body organization of dicyemids is very simple, consisting of usually 10 to 40 cells, with neither body cavities nor differentiated organs. Dicyemids were considered as primitive animals, and the out-group of all metazoans, or as occupying a basal position of lophotrochozoans close to flatworms.

Squid vascular endothelial growth factor receptor: a shared molecular signature in the convergent evolution of closed circulatory systems.

The highly specialized cephalopod cardiovascular system has long been considered a valuable model for understanding the evolution of circulatory systems. Despite the number of studies devoted to this topic, the developmental regulatory mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Here, we focus on the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR).

Unique genome of dicyemid mesozoan: highly shortened spliceosomal introns in conservative exon/intron structure.

Dicyemids are enigmatic endoparasites, or endosymbionts, living in the renal sac of benthic cephalopod molluscs. The body of dicyemids consists of only 9-41 cells, with neither extracellular matrices nor differentiated tissues. Due to the unusually simple body organization, dicyemids have long been the subject of phylogenetic controversy.

Cloning of chitinase-like protein1 cDNA from dicyemid mesozoans (Phylum: Dicyemida).

Dicyemid mesozoans are endoparasites found in the renal sacs of benthic cephalopods. Adult dicyemids insert the distinct anterior region, termed a "calotte," into renal tubules of the host. We cloned cDNA encoding chitinase-like protein from the dicyemid Dicyema japonicum (Dicyema-clp 1), and also cloned the gene fragment corresponding to the cDNA.

The expression of tubulin and tektin genes in dicyemid mesozoans (Phylum: Dicyemida).

Dicyemid mesozoans (Phylum Dicyemida) are endoparasites (or endosymbionts) that typically are found in the renal sac of benthic cephalopod mollusks such as octopuses and cuttlefishes. Adult dicyemids likely adhere to the renal appendage of hosts via cilia of calotte peripheral cells. These cilia seem to be continuously worn away in the interaction between the dicyemids and the epidermal cells of host renal appendages.

Phylogeny of selected Sepiidae (Mollusca, Cephalopoda) based on 12S, 16S, and COI sequences, with comments on the taxonomic reliability of several morphological characters.

Phylogenetic relationships among 11 species of sepiids from Japanese waters and Sepia officinalis from Mediterranean were studied using partial sequences of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I genes. These three genes had been analyzed in an Atlantic species S. elagans and was obtained from database.

Phylogenetic relationships among major species of japanese coleoid cephalopods (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) using three mitochondrial DNA sequences.

Phylogenetic relationships among 36 species of major coleoid cephalopods from Japanese waters were studied using partial sequences of three mitochondrial genes, 16S rDNA, 12S rDNA, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. Octopoda and Decapoda were monophylic groups. Within Sepioidea, Sepiadariidae and Sepiolidae were not closely related to Sepiidae, but rather related to Teuthoidea.

Renal organs of cephalopods: a habitat for dicyemids and chromidinids.

The renal organs of 32 species of cephalopods (renal appendage of all cephalopods, and renal and pancreatic appendages in decapods) were examined for parasite fauna and for histological comparison. Two phylogenetically distant organisms, dicyemid mesozoans and chromidinid ciliates, were found in 20 cephalopod species. Most benthic cephalopods (octopus and cuttlefish) were infected with dicyemids.

Cell number and cellular composition in infusoriform larvae of dicyemid mesozoans (Phylum Dicyemida).

Cell numbers and cellular composition were examined in infusoriform larvae of 44 species of dicyemid mesozoans belonging to 6 genera; Conocyema, Dicyema, Dicyemennea, Dicyemodeca, Microcyema, and Pseudicyema. In addition, literature on infusoriform larvae of another 20 species was reviewed. Infusoriform larvae consist of a constant cell number which is species-specific.

Biology of dicyemid mesozoans.

We reviewed recent advances of some aspects on the biology of dicyemid mesozoans. To date 42 species of dicyemids have been found in 19 species of cephalopod molluscs from Japanese waters. The body of dicyemids consists of 10-40 cells and is organized in a very simple fashion.

Fine structure of dicyemid mesozoans, with special reference to cell junctions.

The fine structure of the dicyemid mesozoan, Dicyema acuticephalum, from Octopus vulgaris, was studied with special attention to intercellular junctional complexes between various kinds of cells. Two types of intercellular junction, namely, adherens junctions and gap junctions, were found in both vermiform stages and in infusoriform embryos. Adherens junctions were classified into two types.

The cell lineages of two types of embryo and a hermaphroditic gonad in dicyemid mesozoans.

The present review summarizes the patterns of cell division and the cell lineages of the two types of embryo, namely, the vermiform embryo and infusoriform embryo, of the dicyemid mesozoan Dicyema japonicum. The infusoriform embryo develops from a fertilized egg. The early cleavages are holoblastic and spiral.