TY - JOUR
T1 - Developmental regulation and expression of the zebrafish connexin43 gene
AU - Chatterjee, Bishwanath
AU - Chin, Alvin J.
AU - Valdimarsson, Gunnar
AU - Finis, Carla
AU - Sonntag, Jennifer M.
AU - Choi, Bo Yon
AU - Tao, Liang
AU - Balasubramanian, Krithika
AU - Bell, Carolyn
AU - Krufka, Alison
AU - Kozlowski, David J.
AU - Johnson, Ross G.
AU - Lo, Cecilia W.
PY - 2005/7
Y1 - 2005/7
N2 - We cloned and sequenced the zebrafish (Danio rerio) connexin43 (Cx43α1) gene. The predicted protein sequence shows a high degree of sequence conservation. Transcript analyses revealed multiple transcription start sites and a potential alternative transcript encoding a N-terminally truncated Cx43α1 protein. Maternal Cx43α1 transcripts were detected, with zygotic expression initiated before gastrulation. In situ hybridization revealed many Cx43α1 expression domains, including the notochord and brain, heart and vasculature, many resembling patterns seen in mammalian embryos. Of interest, a reporter construct under control of the mouse Cx43α1 promoter was observed to drive green fluorescent protein expression in zebrafish embryos in domains mimicking the native Cx43α1 expression pattern in fish and mice. Sequence comparison between the mouse and zebrafish Cx43α1 promoter sequences showed the conservation of several transcription factor motifs, which otherwise shared little overall sequence homology. The conservation of protein sequence and developmental gene regulation would suggest that Cx43α1 gap junctions are likely to have conserved roles in vertebrate embryonic development.
AB - We cloned and sequenced the zebrafish (Danio rerio) connexin43 (Cx43α1) gene. The predicted protein sequence shows a high degree of sequence conservation. Transcript analyses revealed multiple transcription start sites and a potential alternative transcript encoding a N-terminally truncated Cx43α1 protein. Maternal Cx43α1 transcripts were detected, with zygotic expression initiated before gastrulation. In situ hybridization revealed many Cx43α1 expression domains, including the notochord and brain, heart and vasculature, many resembling patterns seen in mammalian embryos. Of interest, a reporter construct under control of the mouse Cx43α1 promoter was observed to drive green fluorescent protein expression in zebrafish embryos in domains mimicking the native Cx43α1 expression pattern in fish and mice. Sequence comparison between the mouse and zebrafish Cx43α1 promoter sequences showed the conservation of several transcription factor motifs, which otherwise shared little overall sequence homology. The conservation of protein sequence and developmental gene regulation would suggest that Cx43α1 gap junctions are likely to have conserved roles in vertebrate embryonic development.
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U2 - 10.1002/dvdy.20426
DO - 10.1002/dvdy.20426
M3 - Article
C2 - 15895415
AN - SCOPUS:20744443295
SN - 1058-8388
VL - 233
SP - 890
EP - 906
JO - Developmental Dynamics
JF - Developmental Dynamics
IS - 3
ER -