Expression of thymosin-β4, RACK1 and HMGB in adult amphioxus: implication for the evolutionary conservation of organ related functional molecules

Vertebrate thymosin-β4, RACK1 and HMGB are important molecules functioning in embryonic development and adult life. Here we report the expression patterns of amphioxus thymosin-β4, RACK1 and HMGB genes in tissues of adult amphioxus as revealed by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. These three genes are all strongly expressed in the central nervous system and ovary, but differently expressed in other tissues including gut, testis, wheel organ, gill and endostyle.