FLT4 基因在斑马鱼早期发育过程中的表达

目的:研究FLT4(VEGFR3)基因在斑马鱼早期发育过程中的表达。方法:提取斑马鱼胚胎的总RNA,制备地高辛标记的FLT4RNA反义探针,WISH(整胚胎原位杂交)研究FLT4在斑马鱼早期发育过程中的表达。结果:成功合成FLT4基因探针,获得FLT4基因在斑马鱼早期发育过程中的表达情况:FlT4在2-cell、32-cell、oblong、shield期前普遍性表达(0.75h、1.7h、3.7h、6h);24h在头部表达较多,特别是在ICM(intermediate cell mass,中间细胞群)区处有特异性表达;48h、72h在头部表达均较高表达。结论:FLT4在早期参与了血管的形成和造血的发生,在脑部和肾小管的发育中可能起到了重要作用。     

斑马鱼整体原位杂交法研究MMP15a的发育相关表达的初步观察

克隆斑马鱼基质金属蛋白酶15a（MMP15a）基因,并研究其在斑马鱼胚胎早期发育中的时空表达状况。收集不同发育时期的斑马鱼胚胎,制备DIG标记的MMP15a RNA探针,采用全胚胎原位杂交方法研究MMP15a基因在胚胎斑马鱼的表达。结果MMP15a基因在胚胎受精后一个细胞时期就开始表达,从受精后24h起,在眼睛处表达明显,从受精后48h MMP15a在胸鳍和耳囊有特异性表达至到受精后96h。MMP15a在斑马鱼胚胎发育不同时期表达明显,且在胸鳍和耳囊处有持续表达。     

微小染色体维系蛋白3基因在斑马鱼早期胚胎发育过程中的表达

目的:制备地高辛标记的微小染色体维系蛋白3(MCM3)基因的RNA探针,研究MCM3在斑马鱼早期发育中的时空表达。方法:收集并固定受精后24 h时期的野生型斑马鱼胚胎,提取总RNA,制备DIG标记的MCM3 RNA反义探针,整胚原位杂交,研究MCM3在斑马鱼胚胎早期发育过程的表达。结果:斑马鱼的MCM3氨基酸序列与小鼠、人具有高度同源性,通过不同时期胚胎的原位杂交,发现MCM3在早期发育过程中普遍性表达,胚胎受精后0~2 hMCM3在增殖性区域泛表达,受精后14~22 h在中枢神经系统、发育未成熟的眼部、体节及增殖性区域表达,受精后24 h在血液、中枢神经、翼板中脑、视觉盖及增殖性区域表达,受精后48 h在头部及肛门增殖性区域表达。结论:明确了MCM3在斑马鱼胚胎发育过程中的表达模式,证明其与早期斑马鱼发育细胞增殖密切相关,为研究该基因功能提供了一定的理论基础。     

斑马鱼胚胎发育过程中FGF3基因的表达

为了解斑马鱼胚胎发育过程中FGF3基因的时空性表达情况,并探讨其对胚胎发育的调控作用,该研究分别提取2,4,8,12,24,36,48,72hpf斑马鱼胚胎的总RNA,经逆转录成cDNA,实时荧光定量PcR检测FGF3基因mRNA表达量;扩增FGF3基因特异片段,构建pGEM-T／FGF3基因片段重组质粒,经克隆及测序验证后,合成地高辛标记的反义RNA探针,以整体原位杂交法检测斑马鱼胚胎FGF3基因的空间性表达。结果显示：FGF3P基因在2hp胚胎就有表达,并持续至胚胎孵化,12hpf胚胎FGF3表达量达到高峰（P〈0．01）;胚胎发育过程中心表达部位以头、尾、咽弓为主。由此得出结论,FGF3主要在胚胎发育早期表达,其表达可能与胚胎脑、眼、耳、咽弓及尾部器官的发育调控有关。     

斑马鱼akt3 基因的克隆及其表达图谱与过表达分析

采用RT-PCR 和RACE 相结合的方法, 克隆得到了斑马鱼的akt3/pkb 基因, 其cDNA 全长为2874 bp,编码479 个氨基酸。斑马鱼akt3 具有akt 家族成员间保守的PH 结构域、催化活性结构域和调节结构域以及两个保守的磷酸化位点Thr305 和Ser472。与已发表的人、大鼠、小鼠的akt3 氨基酸序列比较, 相似性分别为95.8%、94.7%和95.4%。对斑马鱼早期胚胎进行RT-PCR 检测显示, akt3 在0-4hpf(hours post fertilization)含量水平较高, 6hpf 到12hpf 降低至较低水平, 16hpf 后表达量开始逐渐上升, 60hpf 至96hpf 则稳定在较高水平。原位杂交结果表明: akt3 在2hpf 至96hpf 的胚胎中整体都有表达, 没有组织特异性。在成鱼中, 除鳃部外, akt3 在所检测的其他各组织器官中均有表达, 在脑部和卵巢表达量较高; 利用显微注射持续表达myr-akt3 mRNA 研究其功能充分性时结果显示, 过量表达斑马鱼akt3 mRNA 能使斑马鱼胚胎发育滞后且伴随着尾部短粗、体节模糊、尾末端膨大甚至严重缩短等不同程度畸形。而在斑马鱼myr-akt3 注射组发育至24hpf 时观察(以排除akt3 造成的发育延迟的影响), 发现注射过akt3 的斑马鱼胚胎的脑部厚度较对照组显著增大, 表明akt3 对斑马鱼胚胎脑部尺寸发育有影响。       

Molecular cloning, functional analysis, and RNA expression analysis of connexin45.6: a zebrafish cardiovascular connexin

In the vertebrate cardiovascular system, gap junctions function in intercellular communication essential for both the coordinated propagation of the heartbeat and the control of vasomotor responses in the vascular system. Connexins, the protein subunits of gap junctions, are coded by a multigene family. In this study, a connexin gene (zfCx45.6), which exhibits 53% amino acid identity to chick Cx42, was cloned from zebrafish genomic DNA. With the use of the LN54 radiation hybrid panel, zfCx45.6 was mapped to zebrafish linkage group 9. Northern blots and RT-PCR revealed the presence of zfCx45.6 mRNA in the embryo before 2 h postfertilization (hpf) and then again beginning at about 12 hpf, after which time no major changes in relative expression levels were detected. In the adult, zfCx45.6 mRNA continued to be detected in the heart, as well as the brain, liver, and ovary, but not the lens. Whole mount in situ hybridization revealed zfCx45.6 mRNA was expressed at high levels in the major vessels of the entire embryo and in both the atrium and ventricle of the adult heart. Expression of zfCx45.6 channels in paired Xenopus oocytes produced high levels of intercellular coupling that was voltage sensitive. With the previous isolation of zebrafish Cx43 and Cx43.4, zebrafish orthologues have now been isolated for three of the four connexins expressed in the mammalian cardiovascular system.     

斑马鱼HO1基因的表达特征及功能研究

实验对血红素加氧酶1（HO1）在斑马鱼发育中的功能进行了研究。多重序列比对结果显示,斑马鱼HO1与哺乳类、鸟类及其他鱼类的HO1氨基酸序列的总体相似性为44.1%86.8%,血红素结合标签相似性为87.5%95.8%。对斑马鱼早期胚胎和成鱼各组织进行RT-PCR检测,结果显示HO1转录本母源存在,HO1 mRNA的表达水平在尾芽期前较低,到咽囊期迅速上升并稳定在较高水平。HO1基因在斑马鱼成鱼多个组织中均有表达,在肝脏、脾、鳃、肾中的表达量较高。WISH结果显示,HO1基因在斑马鱼胚胎的卵黄合胞层、眼和血液中的表达量较高。利用超表达和基因敲降技术发现,注射HO1 mRNA使HO1基因过表达对斑马鱼早期胚胎发育无明显影响。注射HO1 MO使HO1基因表达抑制可导致斑马鱼胚胎出现发育迟缓、围心腔水肿、尾部消失等不同程度的畸形。HO1 MO导致的斑马鱼胚胎发育异常可被HO1 mRNA回复。利用Real-Time PCR研究发现,HO1基因表达抑制可导致IGF1表达量显著下降,IGFBP1表达量显著升高。这些结果表明斑马鱼HO1基因可通过调节IGF信号途径调控胚胎的正常发育。       

Tbx1基因功能下调影响斑马鱼Tbx20和Tbx2表达

目的采用吗啡啉修饰反义寡核苷酸显微注射方法下调斑马鱼Tbx1基因表达,研究斑马鱼Tbx1基因功能下调对其他两个T盒基因Tbx20和Tbx2表达的影响。方法采用吗啡啉修饰的反义寡核苷酸显微注射方法抑制斑马鱼Tbx1基因表达,分别将2.5、5、8、10 ng吗啡啉反义寡核苷酸在斑马鱼0-4细胞期注入胚胎,并构建Tbx20,骨形成蛋白2b（Bmp2b）和Tbx2反义RNA探针,进行整体原位杂交,观察Tbx1基因下调对Tbx20、Bmp2b及Tbx2表达的影响。结果Tbx1吗啡啉寡核苷酸显微注射组胚胎表现出鳃弓、耳囊、心血管系统和胸腺的发育异常。Tbx1基因下调导致Tbx20的表达出现改变,Tbx20在心脏的表达与对照组相比明显下调,神经元的表达范围明显缩小;Tbx1基因功能下调会导致Bmp2b在心脏和咽囊的表达减低,Bmp2b在后部咽囊的表达较前部咽囊减低得更为明显;Tbx1基因功能下调胚胎,Tbx2在鳃弓的表达模式发生改变,48 hpf,Tbx2在鳃弓的表达出现从后向前逐渐减低,鳃弓的表达范围较对照组明显缩小。结论Tbx1在发育过程中,会对其他T盒基因,如Tbx20和Tbx2具有激活或抑制的调控作用。Tbx1对Tbx20的作用可能是通过影响Bmp2b的途径,继发地影响Tbx20的表达。Tbx1基因功能下调,会改变Tbx2在鳃弓的表达模式。     

Nonmuscle myosin II-B (myh10) expression analysis during zebrafish embryonic development

Nonmuscle myosin II (NM II) is the name given to the multi-subunit protein product of three genes (myh9, myh10, and myh14) encoding different nonmuscle myosin heavy chains. The three NM II isoforms share a very similar molecular structure and play important roles in a variety of fundamental biological processes. NM II-B (myh10) has been shown to be essential for the formation of mouse neural system and heart. But so far the complete knowledge for its expression in developing zebrafish embryos is lacking. In current study, we proved the conservation of zebrafish NM II-B in vertebrate evolution by in silicon analysis. Afterwards the NM II-B (myh10) expression was demonstrated to initiate after gastrulation stage. At 20 hpf, the expression is mainly restricted in central nervous system (CNS). It was maintained and expanded to sensor organ including eye, otic vesicle, and olfactory bulb at 36 hpf and later. We also detected myh10 mRNA hybridization signal in 48 hpf zebrafish heart. In addition, we investigated myh9a and myh9b mRNA distribution in zebrafish developing embryos. It was shown that myh10 and myh9 have distinct expression pattern, with myh9s not in neural system but in epidermis, enveloping layer (EVL). Our study provides new insight into the NM II expression and the use of this model organism to tackle future studies on the role of NM II in embryo development.