Cloning and characterization of β-catenin gene in early embryonic developmental stage of Artemia sinica.

β-Catenin plays a crucial role in embryonic development and responds to the activation of several signal transduction pathways. In this paper, in order to understand the functions of β-catenin gene in early embryonic development of Artemia sinica, the complete cDNA sequence was cloned for the first time using RACE technology, then the sequence was analyzed by some bioinformatic methods. The expression of the β-catenin gene was investigated at various stages during the embryonic development using quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry assay. Through the investigation, the result of real-time PCR illustrated that β-catenin gene might relate to the response of A. sinica's immune system and osmotic pressure system in early embryonic developmental stage. Meanwhile, Immunohistochemistry assay demonstrated that during embryonic development, β-catenin was mainly expressed in the cephalothorax. Besides, we discovered that β-catenin might not be a maternal gene in A. sinica, and this new phenomenon may explain a constitutive and regional expression during the early embryonic development of A. sinica.