title: Conservation, expression, and knockdown of zebrafish plxnb2a and plxnb2b.
abstract: In mice lacking Plexin B2, a receptor of the axon guidance molecules Semaphorin 4C and Semaphorin 4D, the closure of the neural tube and structural organization of the cerebellum are severely impaired. We cloned two Plexin B2 orthologs, plxnb2a and plxnb2b, in zebrafish, which is a widely used model for the development of the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS). The predicted proteins, Plexin B2a and Plexin B2b, contain all the conserved and functional domains of the plexin B-subfamily. During embryonic development, plxnb2a is expressed, e.g., in pharyngeal arches while plxnb2b expression is more confined to neuronal structures like the cerebellum. However, both plxnb2a and plxnb2b are expressed at the midbrain-hindbrain boundary, in the otic vesicles, facial ganglia, and pectoral fins. Knockdown of both plxnb2a and plxnb2b simultaneously (>95% and 45%, respectively) resulted in normal CNS structure, axon guidance and swimming performance of the morphants.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine/Medical Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, Biomedicum Helsinki, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Perälä
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Peitsaro
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sundvik
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koivula
authors.forename: Kirsi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sainio
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sariola
authors.forename: Pertti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panula
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Immonen
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012249:Rhombencephalon / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D015027:Zebrafish; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C091529:plexin