Identification and expression analysis of kcnh2 genes in the zebrafish.
Long QT syndrome is a disorder that is characterised by a prolonged QT-interval and can lead to fatal cardiac arrhythmias. Many animal models have been created to study congenital long QT syndrome. Of these, zebrafish models have involved targeting two different KCNH2 gene (long QT syndrome 2) orthologues, termed zerg-2 and zerg-3, with differing cardiac phenotypes. In order to clarify this situation, this study uses a bioinformatic approach to search the current zebrafish genome sequence (Zv7 and Zv8 builds) to investigate and locate all likely zebrafish orthologues of the human KCNH2 gene. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR was also used to determine the temporal and spatial gene expression profile of the zebrafish orthologues. The data support the conclusion that zerg-2 and zerg-3 are apparent orthologues of different human genes encoding potassium ion channels, but that their functions have switched compared to the respective human proteins.
Leong
Ivone Un San
IU
School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
Skinner
Jonathan R
JR
Shelling
Andrew N
AN
Love
Donald R
DR
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000072237:ERG1 Potassium Channel; D051638:Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000235:genetics; D026801:Synteny; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D000072237:ERG1 Potassium Channel; C527141:Erg protein, zebrafish; D051638:Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels; C000606913:KCNH2 protein, human; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins