RNA sequencing of pole-containing anterior tip regions in planarian Schmidtea mediterranea

RNA sequencing identified new anterior-pole enriched genes encoding transcription factors, a secreted protein, and a transmembrane protein, including NR4A, a nuclear receptor gene that is important in patterning the planarian head and tail. RNA sequencing was performed on pole-containing anterior tip regions and their flanking regions in uninjured animals and regenerating animals 72-hours after transverse amputation, and gene expression of pole-containing regions was compared against that of flanking regions to identify genes differentially expressed in pole regions.