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 .