Mouse Zic1 is involved in cerebellar development.
Zic genes encode zinc finger proteins, the expression of which is highly restricted to cerebellar granule cells and their precursors. These genes are homologs of the Drosophila pair-rule gene odd-paired. To clarify the role of the Zic1 gene, we have generated mice deficient in Zic1. Homozygous mice showed remarkable ataxia during postnatal development. Nearly all of the mice died within 1 month. Their cerebella were hypoplastic and missing a lobule in the anterior lobe. A bromodeoxyuridine labeling study indicated a reduction both in the proliferating cell fraction in the external germinal layer (EGL), from 14 d postcoitum, and in forward movement of the EGL. These findings suggest that Zic1 may determine the cerebellar folial pattern principally via regulation of cell proliferation in the EGL.
Aruga
J
J
Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Tsukuba Life Science Center and Brain Science Institute, Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan.
Minowa
O
O
Yaginuma
H
H
Kuno
J
J
Nagai
T
T
Noda
T
T
Mikoshiba
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics*
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C085443:Opa protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors