Ellies D L, Stock D W, Hatch G, Giroux G, Weiss K M, Ekker M
Ottawa Civic Hospital, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4E9, Canada.
Genomics. 1997 Nov 1;45(3):580-90. doi: 10.1006/geno.1997.4978.
To understand the relationship between the expression and the genomic organization of the zebrafish dlx genes, we have determined the genomic structure of the dlx2 and dlx4 loci. This led to the identification of the zebrafish dlx1 and dlx6 genes, which are closely linked to dlx2 and dlx4, respectively. Therefore, the inverted convergent configuration of Dlx genes is conserved among vertebrates. Analysis of the expression patterns of dlx1 and dlx6 showed striking similarities to those of dlx2 and dlx4, respectively, the genes to which they are linked. Furthermore, the expression patterns of dlx3 and dlx7, which likely constitute a third pair of convergently transcribed genes, are indistinguishable. Thus, the overlapping expression patterns of linked Dlx genes during embryonic development suggest that they share cis-acting sequences that control their spatiotemporal expression. The evolutionary conservation of the genomic organization and combinatorial expression of Dlx genes in distantly related vertebrates suggest tight control mechanisms that are essential for their function during development.
为了了解斑马鱼dlx基因的表达与基因组组织之间的关系，我们确定了dlx2和dlx4基因座的基因组结构。这导致了斑马鱼dlx1和dlx6基因的鉴定，它们分别与dlx2和dlx4紧密连锁。因此，Dlx基因的反向汇聚构型在脊椎动物中是保守的。对dlx1和dlx6表达模式的分析表明，它们分别与所连锁的dlx2和dlx4基因的表达模式有显著相似性。此外，可能构成第三对反向转录基因的dlx3和dlx7的表达模式无法区分。因此，在胚胎发育过程中，连锁的Dlx基因重叠的表达模式表明它们共享控制其时空表达的顺式作用序列。在远缘脊椎动物中，Dlx基因的基因组组织和组合表达的进化保守性表明存在紧密的调控机制，这对它们在发育过程中的功能至关重要。
