Hoyle Jacqueline, Tang Yixin P, Wiellette Elizabeth L, Wardle Fiona C, Sive Hazel
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Nine Cambridge Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Dev Dyn. 2004 Apr;229(4):835-46. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.20001.
This study describes the conserved nlz gene family whose members encode unusual zinc finger proteins. In the zebrafish neurectoderm, both nlz1 and the newly isolated nlz2 are expressed in the presumptive hindbrain and midbrain/hindbrain boundary, where expression of nlz1 is dependent on pax2a. In addition, nlz2 is uniquely expressed more anteriorly, in the presumptive midbrain and diencephalon. Overexpression of Nlz proteins during gastrula stages inhibits hindbrain development. In particular, ectopically expressed Nlz1 inhibits formation of future rhombomeres 2 and 3 (r2, r3), whereas neighboring r1 and r4 are not affected. Conversely, simultaneous reduction of Nlz1 and Nlz2 protein function by expression of antisense morpholino-modified oligomers leads to expansion of future r3 and r5, with associated loss of r4. These data indicate that one function of the nlz gene family is to specify or maintain r4 identity, and to limit r3 and r5 during hindbrain formation.
本研究描述了保守的nlz基因家族，其成员编码不同寻常的锌指蛋白。在斑马鱼神经外胚层中，nlz1和新分离出的nlz2均在假定的后脑以及中脑/后脑边界表达，其中nlz1的表达依赖于pax2a。此外，nlz2在假定的中脑和间脑更靠前的位置有独特表达。原肠胚阶段Nlz蛋白的过表达会抑制后脑发育。特别是，异位表达的Nlz1会抑制未来菱脑节2和3（r2、r3）的形成，而相邻的r1和r4不受影响。相反，通过表达反义吗啉代修饰寡聚物同时降低Nlz1和Nlz2的蛋白功能，会导致未来r3和r5的扩展，并伴有r4的缺失。这些数据表明，nlz基因家族的一个功能是在后脑形成过程中确定或维持r4的特征，并限制r3和r5。
