PUBLICATION

Zebrafish and fly Nkx6 proteins have similar CNS expression patterns and regulate motoneuron formation

Authors
Cheesman, S.E., Layden, M.J., Von Ohlen, T., Doe, C.Q., and Eisen, J.S.
ID
ZDB-PUB-041006-4
Date
2004
Source
Development (Cambridge, England)   131(21): 5221-5232 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Cheesman, Sarah, Eisen, Judith S.
Keywords
nkx6.1, Danio rerio, Drosophila melanogaster, Hedgehog, Primary motoneurons, Secondary motoneurons, Interneurons, Eve, HB9, Islet
MeSH Terms
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Body Patterning
  • Central Nervous System/cytology
  • Central Nervous System/metabolism*
  • Conserved Sequence
  • Drosophila Proteins/chemistry
  • Drosophila Proteins/genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins/metabolism*
  • Drosophila melanogaster/cytology
  • Drosophila melanogaster/embryology
  • Drosophila melanogaster/genetics
  • Drosophila melanogaster/metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Hedgehog Proteins
  • Humans
  • Interneurons/cytology
  • Interneurons/metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Motor Neurons/cytology
  • Motor Neurons/metabolism*
  • Phylogeny
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Signal Transduction
  • Trans-Activators/metabolism
  • Transcription Factors/chemistry
  • Transcription Factors/genetics
  • Transcription Factors/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish/embryology
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/chemistry
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
PubMed
15456722 Full text @ Development
Abstract
Genes belonging to the Nkx, Gsh and Msx families are expressed in similar dorsovental spatial domains of the insect and vertebrate central nervous system (CNS), suggesting the bilaterian ancestor used this genetic program during CNS development. We have investigated the significance of these similar expression patterns by testing whether Nkx6 proteins expressed in ventral CNS of zebrafish and flies have similar functions. In zebrafish, Nkx6.1 is expressed in early-born primary and later-born secondary motoneurons. In the absence of Nkx6.1, there are fewer secondary motoneurons and supernumerary ventral interneurons, suggesting Nkx6.1 promotes motoneuron and suppresses interneuron formation. Overexpression of fish or fly Nkx6 is sufficient to generate supernumerary motoneurons in both zebrafish and flies. These results suggest that one ancestral function of Nkx6 proteins was to promote motoneuron development.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping