title: Targeted gene expression in the zebrafish prechordal plate.
abstract: Targeted gene expression is a powerful tool for understanding gene function in vivo. In zebrafish, overexpression of gene products is typically accomplished ubiquitously, without temporal and spatial specificity. However, the yeast Gal4/UAS system can be used for targeted gene expression in zebrafish. Here we describe the generation and characterization of Tg[gsc: Gal4-VP16] transgenic zebrafish lines that harbor a construct encoding Gal4-VP16 transcriptional activator under the control of a fragment of the goosecoid gene promoter. Tg[gsc:Gal4-VP16] embryos express Gal4-VP16 RNA in presumptive prechordal plate mesendoderm during late blastula and throughout gastrulation. By crossing these fish to Tg[UAS-GFP] transgenic fish, we show that the gsc:Gal4-VP16 transgene is capable of driving strong expression of a target gene in the prechordal plate and its derivatives during gastrulation and segmentation. Thus, the use of Tg[gsc:Gal4-VP16] fish can help in understanding gene function in the prechordal plate, an embryonic structure that is crucial for normal neural patterning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235-1634, USA.
authors.forename: Adi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inbal
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Topczewski
authors.forename: Lilianna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Solnica-Krezel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004707:Endoderm / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009420:Nervous System / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C070633:Gal-VP16; D015534:Trans-Activators