PUBLICATION

The minimal gap-junction network among melanophores and xanthophores required for stripe-pattern formation in zebrafish

Authors
Usui, Y., Aramaki, T., Kondo, S., Watanabe, M.
ID
ZDB-PUB-191102-2
Date
2019
Source
Development (Cambridge, England)   146(22): (Journal)
Registered Authors
Kondo, Shigeru, Watanabe, Masakatsu
Keywords
Connexin, Gap junction, Pigment cell, Skin pattern, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Body Patterning*
  • Cell Communication
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival
  • Connexins/physiology*
  • Electrophysiology
  • Gap Junctions/physiology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Melanophores/physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mutation
  • Phenotype
  • Pigmentation*
  • Plasmids
  • Signal Transduction
  • Spermidine/chemistry
  • Transgenes
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/physiology
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins/physiology*
PubMed
31666235 Full text @ Development
Abstract
Connexin39.4 (Cx39.4) and Connexin41.8 (Cx41.8), two gap-junction proteins expressed in both melanophores and xanthophores, are critical for the intercellular communication among pigment cells that is necessary for generating the stripe pigment pattern of zebrafish. We previously characterized the gap-junction properties of Cx39.4 and Cx41.8, but how these proteins contribute to stripe formation remains unclear; this is because distinct types of connexins potentially form heteromeric gap junctions, which precludes accurate elucidation of individual connexin functions in vivo Here, by arranging Cx39.4 and Cx41.8 expression in pigment cells, we identified the simplest gap-junction network required for stripe generation: Cx39.4 expression in melanophores is required but expression in xanthophores is not necessary for stripe patterning, whereas Cx41.8 expression in xanthophores is sufficient for the patterning, and Cx41.8 expression in melanophores might stabilize the stripes. Moreover, patch-clamp recordings revealed that Cx39.4 gap junctions exhibit spermidine-dependent rectification property. Our results suggest that Cx39.4 facilitates the critical cell-cell interactions between melanophores and xanthophores that mediate a unidirectional activation-signal transfer from xanthophores to melanophores, which is essential for melanophore survival.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping