PUBLICATION
Alternative transcripts of a polyhomeotic gene homolog are expressed in distinct regions of somites during segmentation of zebrafish embryos
- Authors
- Kawamura, A., Yamada, K., Fujimori, K., and Higashinakagawa, T.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-020220-9
- Date
- 2002
- Source
- Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 291(2): 245-254 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Kawamura, Akinori
- Keywords
- polycomb group; polyhomeotic; somite; tailbud; zebrafish
- MeSH Terms
-
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Blotting, Northern
- Body Patterning*
- Carrier Proteins/biosynthesis
- Carrier Proteins/genetics*
- Cloning, Molecular
- Conserved Sequence
- DNA-Binding Proteins/biosynthesis
- DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics*
- Drosophila Proteins*
- Embryo, Nonmammalian/metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation
- In Situ Hybridization
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Nucleoproteins/biosynthesis
- Nucleoproteins/genetics*
- Phylogeny
- Polycomb Repressive Complex 1
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- Protein Isoforms/biosynthesis
- Protein Isoforms/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis
- Sequence Alignment
- Somites/metabolism*
- Transcription Initiation Site
- Transcription, Genetic*
- Zebrafish/embryology*
- Zebrafish/genetics
- Zebrafish/metabolism
- Zebrafish Proteins/biosynthesis
- Zebrafish Proteins/genetics*
- PubMed
- 11846397 Full text @ Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.
Citation
Kawamura, A., Yamada, K., Fujimori, K., and Higashinakagawa, T. (2002) Alternative transcripts of a polyhomeotic gene homolog are expressed in distinct regions of somites during segmentation of zebrafish embryos. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 291(2):245-254.
Abstract
Here we describe isolation and characterization of two zebrafish cDNAs, designated ph2[alpha] and ph2[beta], which were identified as structural homologs of the Drosophila polyhomeotic, mouse Mph2, and human HPH2 genes, collectively termed the Polycomb group. The [alpha] and [beta] transcripts shared a 1.9-kb sequence at their 3[prime prime or minute]-termini. [alpha] had an additional 1.6-kb sequence extending toward its 5[prime prime or minute]-terminus. Only a short 0.1-kb segment was unique to [beta]. Sequencing of a genomic clone corresponding to the two cDNAs indicated that the mRNAs were transcribed from a single gene locus by alternative promoters. Northern blots revealed expression of [alpha] transcripts during the segmentation period, while [beta] expression occurred at all developmental stages examined. Whole-mount in situ hybridizations with an [alpha]-specific probe and a probe recognizing both transcripts revealed distinct spatio-temporal expression patterns along developing somites. [alpha] transcripts were detected initially at the 7--8 somite stage; [beta] transcripts appeared in the first somites. As segmentation proceeded, [alpha] and [beta] expression shifted position toward the tailbud in parallel with the formation of each somite. Within individual somites, the signal corresponding to [alpha] was strongest at the posterior border and weakest in the anterior region. Conversely, that corresponding to [beta] was strongest at the anterior border and weakest in the posterior region. The data support the idea that Ph2[alpha] and Ph2[beta] are involved in spatio-temporal generation of somites as well as in specification of antero-posterior regional differences within individual somites.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping