title: Transcriptome analysis of the zebrafish pineal gland.
abstract: The zebrafish pineal gland (epiphysis) is a site of melatonin production, contains photoreceptor cells, and functions as a circadian clock pace maker. Here, we have used microarray technology to study the zebrafish pineal transcriptome. Analysis of gene expression at three larval and two adult stages revealed a highly dynamic transcriptional profile, revealing many genes that are highly expressed in the zebrafish pineal gland. Statistical analysis of the data based on Gene Ontology annotation indicates that many transcription factors are highly expressed during larval stages, whereas genes dedicated to phototransduction are preferentially expressed in the adult. Furthermore, several genes were identified that exhibit day/night differences in expression. Among the multiple candidate genes suggested by these data, we note the identification of a tissue-specific form of the unc119 gene with a possible role in pineal development.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. toyamar@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Toyama
authors.forename: Xiongfong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Nupur
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jhawar
authors.forename: Emil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aamar
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reany
authors.forename: Shahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alon
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gothilf
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Igor B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Dawid
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000235:genetics; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D017440:Photoperiod; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005136:Eye Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins