PUBLICATION

Zebrafish leukocyte tyrosine kinase controls iridophore establishment, proliferation and survival

Authors
Fadeev, A., Krauss, J., Singh, A.P., Nüsslein-Volhard, C.
ID
ZDB-PUB-160124-11
Date
2016
Source
Pigment cell & melanoma research   29(3): 284-96 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Fadeev, Andrey, Krauss, Jana, Nüsslein-Volhard, Christiane
Keywords
Iridophores, Leukocyte tyrosine kinase, homotypic competition, pigment cells, tumorigenesis, zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Aging
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Body Patterning
  • Cell Communication
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Survival
  • Chromatophores/cytology*
  • Chromatophores/enzymology*
  • Melanophores/cytology
  • Melanophores/metabolism
  • Mutation/genetics
  • Phenotype
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/chemistry
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/genetics
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/chemistry
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
PubMed
26801003 Full text @ Pigment Cell Melanoma Res.
Abstract
The zebrafish striped pattern results from the interplay among three pigment cell types; black melanophores, yellow xanthophores and silvery iridophores, making it a valuable model to study pattern formation in vivo. It has been suggested that iridophore proliferation, dispersal and cell shape transitions play an important role during stripe formation; however the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Using gain- and loss-of-function alleles of leukocyte tyrosine kinase (ltk) and a pharmacological inhibitor approach, we show that Ltk specifically regulates iridophore establishment, proliferation and survival. Mutants in shady/ltk lack iridophores and display an abnormal body stripe pattern. Moonstone mutants, ltk(mne) , display ectopic iridophores, suggesting hyperactivity of the mutant Ltk. The dominant ltk(mne) allele carries a missense mutation in a conserved position of the kinase domain that highly correlates with neuroblastomas in mammals. Chimeric analysis suggests a novel physiological role of Ltk in the regulation of iridophore proliferation by homotypic competition. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping