Embryonic expression of festina lente (fel), a novel maternal gene, in the oligochaete annelid Tubifex tubifex

•We have isolated a novel maternal gene festina lente (fel) from Tubifex tubifex.•Ttu-fel is expressed exclusively in early cleavage stage embryos.•Maternal Ttu-fel mRNA undergoes destabilization at 22-cell stage.•Zygotic transcription of Ttu-fel does not occur during Tubifex embryogenesis.

We have cloned and characterized the expression of a novel maternal gene festina lente (designated Ttu-fel) from the clitellate annelid Tubifex tubifex. Northern blot analyses have shown that Ttu-fel mRNA is approximately 8 kbp in length and that its expression is restricted to oocytes undergoing maturation division and early embryos up to 22-cell stage. Maternal transcripts of Ttu-fel are first detected in oocytes in the ovary of young adults (ca. 40 days after hatching); its expression continues in growing oocytes in the ovisac. Ttu-fel mRNA is distributed broadly throughout the egg undergoing maturation divisions. During the process of ooplasmic segregation that results in the pole plasm formation, Ttu-fel mRNA becomes concentrated to the animal and vegetal poles. The RNA in the animal hemisphere is distributed in a gradient with highest concentration in the cortical region. During the first two cleavages, Ttu-fel mRNA is segregated to CD cell then to D cell; it is subsequently inherited by the three D quadtrant micromeres, 1d, 2d and 3d. Around the time of transition to 22-cell stage, Ttu-fel mRNA becomes undetectable throughout the embryo.