Molecular structure, dynamic expression, and promoter analysis of zebrafish (Danio rerio)myf-5 gene

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Summary: We isolated a 1,438 bp cDNA fragment that encoded Myf‐5 myogenic factor of zebrafish. The deduced amino acid contained 237 residues, including the basic helix‐loop‐helix domain that is conserved in all known Myf‐5. The zebrafish myf‐5 transcripts were first detectable at 7.5 hpf, increased substantially until 16 hpf, and then declined gradually to an undetectable level by 26 hpf. During somitogenesis, zebrafish myf‐5 transcripts were distributed mainly in the somites and segmental plates. Prominent signals occurred transiently in adaxial cells in two parallel rows but did not extend beyond the positive‐signal somites. Various lengths of upstream region of zebrafish myf‐5 fused with EGFP gene were used to carry out transgenic analysis. Results showed that a small, 82 bp (nucleotide positions from ‐82 to ‐1), regulatory cassette is sufficient to control the somite‐ and stage‐specific expression of zebrafish myf‐5 during early development. genesis 29:22–35, 2001.