title: Sp5l is a mediator of Fgf signals in anteroposterior patterning of the neuroectoderm in zebrafish embryo.
abstract: The neuroectoderm is patterned along the anterior-posterior axis in vertebrate embryos. Fgf signals are required to induce the posterior neuroectodermal fates, but they repress the anterior fate. Sp5l/Spr2, an Sp1-like transcription factor family member, has been shown to be required for development of mesoderm and posterior neuroectoderm. We demonstrate here that repression of the anterior neuroectodermal markers fez and otx1 by fgf17b or fgf3 coincides with induction of sp5l in the anterior neuroectoderm, and that this repression is efficiently rescued by simultaneous sp5l knockdown. On the other hand, sp5l knockdown is able to inhibit inductive activity of ectopic Fgf signals on the expression of the posterior neuroectodermal markers gbx2, hoxb1b, and krox20. Furthermore, effect of overexpression of a dominant negative Fgf receptor on anteroposterior patterning of the neuroectoderm is rescued by sp5l overexpression. Taken together, these data suggest that sp5l mediates the functions of Fgf signals in anteroposterior patterning of the neuroectoderm during zebrafish embryogenesis.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zhihui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Anming
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D009420:Nervous System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051703:Sp Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051703:Sp Transcription Factors; C516064:Sp5l protein, zebrafish; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors