PUBLICATION

Characterization of zebrafish smad1, smad2 and smad5: the amino-terminus of Smad1 and Smad5 is required for specific function in the embryo

Authors
Müller, F., Blader, P., Rastegar, S., Fischer, N., Knochel, W., Strähle, U.
ID
ZDB-PUB-991102-20
Date
1999
Source
Mechanisms of Development   88(1): 73-88 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Blader, Patrick, Fischer, Nadine, Müller, Ferenc, Rastegar, Sepand, Strähle, Uwe
Keywords
Smad; dorsoventral patterning; zebrafish; Xenopus; Xvent-ZB
MeSH Terms
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Blastomeres
  • Body Patterning/genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Homeodomain Proteins/genetics
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Phosphoproteins/genetics*
  • Phosphoproteins/metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Signal Transduction
  • Smad Proteins
  • Smad2 Protein
  • Smad5 Protein
  • Trans-Activators/genetics*
  • Trans-Activators/metabolism
  • Transcription Factors*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism
  • Xenopus/embryology
  • Xenopus/genetics
  • Xenopus Proteins*
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins
PubMed
10525190 Full text @ Mech. Dev.
Abstract
Members of the TGFbeta superfamily of signalling molecules play important roles in mesendoderm induction and dorsoventral patterning of the vertebrate embryo. We cloned three intracellular mediators of TGFbeta signalling, smad1, 2 and 5, from the zebrafish. The three smad genes are expressed ubiquitously at the onset of gastrulation. The pattern of expression becomes progressively restricted during somitogenesis suggesting that at later stages not only the distribution of the TGFbeta signal but also that of the intracellular smad signal transducer determine the regionally restricted effects of TGFbeta signalling. Forced expression of smad1 leads to an expansion of blood cells resembling the phenotype of moderately ventralized zebrafish mutants. In contrast to Smad1, neither Smad2 nor Smad5 caused a detectable effect when expressed as full-length molecules suggesting that these latter two Smads are more dependent on activation by the cognate TGFbeta ligands. N-terminal truncated Smad2 dorsalized embryos, in agreement with a role downstream of dorsalizing TGFbeta members such as Nodals. In contrast to the C-terminal MH2 domain of Smad2, the C-terminal region of Smad1 and Smad5 lead to pleiotropic effects in embryos giving rize to both dorsalized and ventralized characteristics in injected embryos. Analysis of truncated zebrafish Smad1 in Xenopus embryos supports the notion that the C-terminal domain of smad1 is both a hypomorph and antimorph which can act as activator or inhibitor depending on the region of expression in the embryo. These results indicate a specific function of the MH1 domain of Smad1 and 5 for activity of the molecules
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping