title: Molecular analysis of the ependymin gene and functional test of its promoter region by transient expression in Brachydanio rerio.
abstract: Ependymins are secretory products of meningeal cells and represent the predominant glycoproteins in the cerebrospinal fluid from various orders of teleost fish. In the zebrafish, their expression starts between 48 and 72 h post-fertilization. Generally, they share characteristics with proteins involved in cell-contact phenomena. Here, we characterize the ependymin gene from Brachydanio rerio and its flanking regions. The sequence was obtained from clones generated using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), including a variation of an "anchored" PCR. Also, clones from a conventional phage library were analyzed. We found that the transcribed portion is arranged in six exons. Transient expression of an ependymin-promoter-lacZ gene fusion in zebrafish embryos revealed that the 2.0-kb upstream regulatory region used is sufficient to direct the ependymin-specific correct temporal and spatial expression pattern of the lacZ reporter gene.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Psychiatrie, Abteilung Neurochemie, Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rinder
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Bayer
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Gertzen
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007763:Lac Operon; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C031632:ependymins; D004247:DNA