title: Cyclin-dependent kinase 8 is expressed both maternally and zygotically during zebrafish embryo development.
abstract: Cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (cdk8) regulates transcription by phosphorylating RNA polymerase II and TFIIH. The mechanism of zygotic transcription activation during vertebrate embryonic development is poorly understood. Here we describe the cloning and developmental expression pattern of zebrafish cdk8 mRNA. It is highly conserved, sharing 79% DNA and 95% amino acid sequence identity with human cdk8, thereby indicating an important role for the protein. Northern blotting and whole mount in situ hybridisation revealed expression of zebrafish cdk8 maternally, following the onset of zygotic transcription at the mid-blastula transition (MBT) and throughout embryonic development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Elaine D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Brabazon
authors.forename: Ronan T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Bree
authors.forename: Micheal W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Carton
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grealy
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Byrnes
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D056850:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 8; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015723:Gene Library; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D015053:Zygote / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D056850:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 8; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; C498310:cdk8 protein, zebrafish