PUBLICATION

Phylogenetic Analysis of Zebrafish Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors

Authors
Wang, Y., Chen, K., Yao, Q., Zheng, X., and Yang, Z.
ID
ZDB-PUB-090526-11
Date
2009
Source
Journal of molecular evolution   68(6): 629-640 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
Basic helix-loop-helix, Phylogenesis, Transcription factor, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • ARNTL Transcription Factors
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/genetics
  • Chickens
  • Chromosomes
  • Databases, Genetic
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs/genetics*
  • Mice
  • Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor/genetics
  • Models, Genetic
  • Phylogeny*
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, Protein
  • Transcription Factors/chemistry
  • Transcription Factors/genetics*
  • Zebrafish/genetics*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/chemistry
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
PubMed
19449054 Full text @ J. Mol. Evol.
Abstract
The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins play important regulatory roles in eukaryotic developmental processes including neurogenesis, myogenesis, hematopoiesis, sex determination, and gut development. Zebrafish is a good model organism for developmental biology. In this study, we identified 139 bHLH genes encoded in the zebrafish genome. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that zebrafish has 58, 29, 21, 5, 19, and 5 bHLH members in groups A, B, C, D, E, and F, respectively, while 2 members were classified as "orphan." A comparison between zebrafish and human bHLH repertoires suggested that both organisms have a certain number of specific bHLH members. Eight zebrafish bHLH genes were found to have multiple coding regions in the genome. Two of these, Bmal1 and MITF, are good anchor genes for identification of fish-specific whole-genome duplication events in comparison with mouse and chicken genomes. The present study provides useful information for future studies on gene family evolution and vertebrate development.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping