title: Zebrafish pax[zf-a]: a paired box-containing gene expressed in the neural tube.
abstract: Murine and human sequences homologous to the paired box of the Drosophila segmentation gene paired have been reported previously. Here we describe a zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio) paired box-containing clone, pax[zf-a], which is clearly distinct from reported vertebrate Pax genes. The putative protein encoded by pax[zf-a] contains a paired box and a paired-type homeobox separated by a glycine-rich, acidic linker and a carboxy-terminal end which is remarkably rich in serine, threonine and proline residues. By in situ hybridization to embryonic tissue sections and whole mount embryos, pax[zf-a] transcripts were found within restricted regions of the central nervous system and the eye. In contrast to the murine Pax genes recently characterized, pax[zf-a] is not expressed in the segmented mesoderm. At the 17 h stage, pax[zf-a] expression is detected in a defined area of the diencephalon which circumscribes the presumptive thalamus. This suggests an involvement of pax[zf-a] in pattern formation in the rostral brain. The pax[zf-a] gene is also expressed throughout the hindbrain and spinal cord. This hybridization signal is restricted to a longitudinal column which includes the basal plate. Later in development, at 36 h post-fertilization, pax[zf-a] transcripts are no longer restricted to a specific region of the diencephalon, but are distributed over the entire developing brain.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biology, University of Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Korzh
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Moens
authors.forename: J U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Ericson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fjose
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA; D005123:Eye / Q000737:chemistry; D015870:Gene Expression; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009420:Nervous System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D012249:Rhombencephalon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA