title: Duplicate zebrafish runx2 orthologues are expressed in developing skeletal elements.
abstract: The differentiation of cells in the vertebrate skeleton is controlled by a precise genetic program. One crucial regulatory gene in the pathway encodes the transcription factor Runx2, which in mouse is required for differentiation of all osteoblasts and the proper development of a subset of hypertrophic chondrocytes. To explore the differentiation of skeletogenic cells in the model organism zebrafish (Danio rerio), we have identified two orthologues of the mammalian gene, runx2a and runx2b. Both genes share sequence homology and gene structure with the mammalian genes, and map to regions of the zebrafish genome displaying conserved synteny with the region where the human gene is localized. While both genes are expressed in developing skeletal elements, they show evidence of partial divergence in expression pattern, possibly explaining why both orthologues have been retained through teleost evolution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Maria Vega
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.forename: Vicky Wai Kei
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Wenjue
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Maggie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalev-Zylinska
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Postlethwait
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Crosier
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Crosier
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D021101:Radiation Hybrid Mapping; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors