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Identification of three cell populations from the shell gland of a bivalve mollusc

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Abstract

The molluscan larval shell formation is a complicated process. There is evidence that the mantle of the primary larva (trochophore) contains functionally different cell populations with distinct gene expression profiles. However, it remains unclear how these cells are specified. In the present study, we identified three cell populations from the shell gland in earlier stages (gastrula) from the bivalve mollusc Crassostrea gigas. These cell populations were determined by analyzing the co-expression relationships among six potential shell formation (pSF) genes using two-color hybridization. The three cell populations, which we designated as SGCPs (shell gland cell populations), formed a concentric-circle pattern from outside to inside of the shell gland. SGCP I was located in the outer edge of the shell gland and the cells expressed pax2/5/8, gata2/3, and bmp2/4. SGCP II was located more internally and the cells expressed two engrailed genes. The last population, SGCP III, was located in the central region of the shell gland and the cells expressed lox4. Determination of the gene expression profiles of SGCPs would help trace their origins and fates and elucidate how these cell populations are specified. Moreover, potential roles of the SGCPs, e.g., development of sensory cells and shell biogenesis, are suggested. Our results reveal the internal organization of the embryonic shell gland at the molecular level and add to the knowledge of larval shell formation.

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Abbreviations

pSF genes:

potential shell formation genes

SGCP:

shell gland cell population

WMISH:

whole mount in situ hybridization

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Acknowledgments

We thank Bernard M. Degnan for the thoughtful suggestions.

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, grant numbers 41776157 and 31472265) and the Marine S&T Fund of Shandong Province for Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao) (2018SDKJ0302-1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, Qingdao, 266071, China

    Gang Liu, Pin Huan & Baozhong Liu

  2. Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266000, China

    Gang Liu, Pin Huan & Baozhong Liu

  3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China

    Pin Huan & Baozhong Liu

Authors
  1. Gang Liu
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  2. Pin Huan
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  3. Baozhong Liu
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Contributions

BL and PH conceived the project. GL performed the experiments. All authors contributed to data analysis. PH wrote the manuscript. GL contributed to manuscript writing and figure preparation. BL oversaw the project and critically revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Baozhong Liu.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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The funding bodies are not involved in the design of the study or collection, analysis, and interpretation of data or in writing the manuscript.

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Communicated by Mark Q. Martindale

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Liu, G., Huan, P. & Liu, B. Identification of three cell populations from the shell gland of a bivalve mollusc. Dev Genes Evol 230, 39–45 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-020-00646-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00427-020-00646-9

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