PUBLICATION

Control over the morphology and segregation of Zebrafish germ cell granules during embryonic development

Authors
Strasser, M.J., Mackenzie, N.C., Dumstrei, K., Nakkrasae, L.I., Stebler, J., and Raz, E.
ID
ZDB-PUB-080602-9
Date
2008
Source
BMC Developmental Biology   8: 58 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Dumstrei, Karin, Mackenzie, Natalia, Raz, Erez, Strasser, Markus
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/embryology
  • Germ Cells/ultrastructure*
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Microtubules/ultrastructure
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Cytoplasmic Granules/ultrastructure*
  • Zebrafish/anatomy & histology
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Dyneins/genetics
  • DEAD-box RNA Helicases/genetics
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Animals
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Genetic Markers
(all 16)
PubMed
18507824 Full text @ BMC Dev. Biol.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Zebrafish germ cells contain granular-like structures, organized around the cell nucleus. These structures share common features with polar granules in Drosophila, germinal granules in Xenopus and chromatoid bodies in mice germ cells, such as the localization of the zebrafish Vasa, Piwi and Nanos proteins, among others. Little is known about the structure of these granules as well as their segregation in mitosis during early germ-cell development. RESULTS: Using transgenic fish expressing a fluorescently labeled novel component of Zebrafish germ cell granules termed Granulito, we followed the morphology and distribution of the granules. We show that whereas these granules initially exhibit a wide size variation, by the end of the first day of development they become a homogeneous population of medium size granules. We investigated this resizing event and demonstrated the role of microtubules and the minus-end microtubule dependent motor protein Dynein in the process. Last, we show that the function of the germ cell granule resident protein the Tudor domain containing protein-7 (Tdrd7) is required for determination of granule morphology and number. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that Zebrafish germ cell granules undergo a transformation process, which involves germ cell specific proteins as well as the microtubular network.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Figure Gallery (12 images) / 2
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Expression
Phenotype
Fish Conditions Stage Phenotype Figure
AB + MO1-grastandard conditionsPrim-5
AB + MO1-tdrd7astandard conditionsPrim-5
AB + MO2-tdrd7astandard conditionsPrim-5
1 - 3 of 3
Show
Mutations / Transgenics
Allele Construct Type Affected Genomic Region
er1TgTransgenic Insertion
    mu1TgTransgenic Insertion
      1 - 2 of 2
      Show
      Human Disease / Model
      No data available
      Sequence Targeting Reagents
      Target Reagent Reagent Type
      graMO1-graMRPHLNO
      tdrd7aMO1-tdrd7aMRPHLNO
      tdrd7aMO2-tdrd7aMRPHLNO
      1 - 3 of 3
      Show
      Fish
      Fish
      AB
      AB + MO1-gra
      AB + MO1-tdrd7a
      AB + MO2-tdrd7a
      er1Tg
      mu1Tg
      1 - 6 of 6
      Show
      Antibodies
      Orthology
      No data available
      Engineered Foreign Genes
      Marker Marker Type Name
      DsRedxEFGDsRedx
      EGFPEFGEGFP
      1 - 2 of 2
      Show
      Mapping
      No data available
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      Citation
      Strasser, M.J., Mackenzie, N.C., Dumstrei, K., Nakkrasae, L.I., Stebler, J., and Raz, E. (2008) Control over the morphology and segregation of Zebrafish germ cell granules during embryonic development. BMC Developmental Biology. 8:58.