Differential expression of three labial genes during earthworm head regeneration

Abstract

The earthworm provides an excellent model for investigating regeneration. Here we report the fulllength cloning of three labial genes (Pex-lab01, Pexlab02, and Pex-lab03) in the earthworm Perionyx excavatus. To analyze their expression pattern during head and tail regeneration, we used the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Our results indicate that the three labial genes were expressed only in the head-regenerating tissues. Also, we found that the expression of Pex-lab01 and Pex-lab02 is up-regulated, and this indicates their involvement in wound healing and the blastema formation processes during early head regeneration.