title: Variations in DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase-1 expression during oogenesis and early development of the zebrafish.
abstract: We report the determination of zebrafish DNA (cytosine-5-) methyltransferase ( dnmt-1) temporal and spatial patterns of expression in gonadal tissues and during early development. Only one dnmt-1 message of around 5 kb was observed in all tissues examined and its levels were highest in gonadal tissues. During the course of oogenesis, early oocytes contain significant amounts of dnmt-1 transcript while message abundance declines as oocytes mature. During early embryogenesis message levels remain low until the blastula stage. Methyltransferase enzyme assays reveal that the maternal dnmt-1 message accumulated during oogenesis is translated into protein presumably providing necessary dnmt-1 stockpiles to support early embryonic development prior to zygotic gene activation. Such spatial and temporal regulation of dnmt-1 expression suggests specific functions for the enzyme during oogenesis and early development of zebrafish.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada.
authors.forename: Aizeddin A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mhanni
authors.forename: Ross A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: McGowan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000076123:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D010053:Ovary / Q000201:enzymology; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D000076123:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases