PUBLICATION

Expression of the dnmt3 genes in zebrafish development: similarity to Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b

Authors
Smith, T.H., Collins, T.M., and McGowan, R.A.
ID
ZDB-PUB-110131-8
Date
2011
Source
Development genes and evolution   220(11-12): 347-53 (Journal)
Registered Authors
McGowan, Ross, Smith, Tamara
Keywords
DNA methyltransferase, dnmt3, Dnmt3a, Dnmt3b, Methylation, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases/genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic*
  • Mice
  • Zebrafish/embryology
  • Zebrafish/genetics*
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
PubMed
21258815 Full text @ Dev. Genes Evol.
Abstract
The zebrafish differs from mammals in that they have six dnmt3 genes as opposed to the two that can produce a catalytically active protein in mammals. Zebrafish also do not show evidence of genomic imprinting and lack the Dnmt3l gene necessary to that process in mammals. As such, they offer a unique opportunity to compare the two genetic situations in order to define the roles of the multiple genes in developmental gene methylation. To this end, we have analyzed the developmental expression of the six dnmt3 genes in zebrafish and find that they fall into two distinct patterns. The expression patterns of the dnmt6 and dnmt8 genes, which more closely resemble the mammalian Dnmt3a gene in sequence, also show an expression pattern that is more similar to the expression of Dnmt3a rather than Dnmt3b. Conversely, the other four dnmt3 genes in zebrafish (dnmt3, dnmt4, dnmt5, and dnmt7) show an expression pattern that is more similar to Dnmt3b. The dnmt6 and dnmt8 genes are also expressed in the adult zebrafish and in the brain in particular. In situ expression analyses show that the dnmt6 and/or dnmt8 genes also show tissue-specific differences in expression with those two genes being more ubiquitously expressed in the developing zebrafish than the other dnmt3 genes. Although differences in dnmt3 function may exist between mammals and fish, our results showing similar expression patterns between the genes in fish and mammals suggest that the six dnmt3 genes in the zebrafish may be analogous to the two Dnmt3 genes in mammals.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping