Cloning and expression pattern of vat-1 homolog gene in zebrafish.
The VAT-1 protein is present in the electric organ of marine rays where it is suggested to play a central role in nerve signal transmission. VAT-1 homolog protein was also identified in mouse and human but its function remains to be determined. We have investigated VAT-1 homolog in zebrafish Danio rerio since it is an excellent model amenable to the combination of genetic, molecular and embryological studies. Amino acid sequence analysis shows that the zebrafish VAT-1 homolog shares approximately 51-61% identity with the electric ray, mouse, and human counterparts. By in situ hybridization, vat-1 homolog mRNA is first observed in the trigeminal nuclei at the 8-somite stage. At 20-somite stage, vat-1 homolog is detected in the brain, namely in primary clusters of neurons, in the epiphysis and in the hindbrain. vat-1 homolog is also present in the neural tube but this expression disappears after 72 h post-fertilization. At 24 h post-fertilization, vat-1 homolog starts to be expressed in the developing gut. At later stages, vat-1 homolog is present throughout the brain, appears in the maturing retina and the pharyngeal cavity.
Loeb-Hennard
Christine
C
GSF-Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Molecular Immunology, Marchioninistrasse 25, 81377 Munich, Germany. hennard@gsf.de
Cousin
Xavier
X
Prengel
Isabel
I
Kremmer
Elisabeth
E
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D001934:Branchial Region / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012160:Retina / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; C500364:vat1 protein, zebrafish