Figure 2. Expression of calmodulin and Acrocalcin during coral development.

(A) The canonical calmodulin AmCaM is expressed at a relatively constant level during development as a ∼ 1500 bp transcript. (B) The ∼2500 bp Acrocalcin (AmAC) transcript is present at low levels at the late gastrulation stage, after which levels are relatively constant from the pear stage through to post-settlement. An early and a late pear stage were tested for AmCaM and AmAC transcripts. (C) The faint salt-and-pepper pattern visible at gastrulation reflects AmAC expression in the endoderm (b). A relatively constant expression level was observed from late gastrulation onward, sphere through post-settlement (c–g). No staining was detected in corresponding controls incubated with sense RNA probes (b′, c′, e′). Nucleic acid markers (asterisks). Pre-gastrulation (prawn chip, a). Gastrulation (donut, b). Late gastrula (sphere, c). Early planula (pear, d). Planula (e). Settlement and metamorphosis (f). Settled polyps (g). Control stages (b′, c′, e′), respectively.