olig1 Expression identifies developing oligodendrocytes in zebrafish and requires hedgehog and notch signaling.
Myelin, the isolating sheath around large diameter axons, is formed in the central nervous system (CNS) by oligodendrocytes. We isolated the zebrafish ortholog of olig1, a bHLH transcription factor, and describe the origin and development of oligodendrocytes in the zebrafish brain. Olig1:mem-eGFP transgenic animals demonstrate the highly dynamic nature of oligodendrocyte membrane processes, providing a tool for studying in vivo oligodendrocyte development. Formation of oligodendrocytes and initiation of olig1 expression are under the control of long-range hedgehog and notch signaling while maintenance of olig1 expression only depends on hedgehog. Over-expression of olig1 did not affect myelin formation in the brain and combined over-expression of olig1 and olig2 could not rescue loss of hedgehog signaling, indicating that critical factors other than olig1 and olig2 are necessary. Lastly, knockdown of Olig1 in an Olig2-sensitized background did result in defects in CNS myelination, indicating a functional overlap between Olig1 and Olig2 proteins.
Schebesta
Michael
M
Developmental and Molecular Pathways, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Serluca
Fabrizio C
FC
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000378:metabolism*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C540919:olig1 protein, zebrafish