Fig. 4

Cx43 protein expression is reduced in sof^b123 mutants. (A) An antibody raised against zebrafish Cx43 detects a GST fusion protein with the carboxy tail of Cx43 (GST-Cx43CT). Increasing amounts of E. coli lysates expressing GST-Cx43CT were loaded and tested for antibody detection (left). When the antibody was pre-incubated with the Cx43 target sequence, binding to the immunoblot was competed. (B) Protein levels of Cx43 in sof^b123 regenerating fins and whole body are reduced by greater than 70%. Tubulin was used as a loading control and to normalize the loading of fin or whole body lysates. (C) Percent reductions of anti-Cx43 antibody binding for the antibody competition (A) and sof^b123 Cx43 levels (B). (D) Cx43 expression in wild-type fins. Distal tip staining in wild-type (E) and sof^b123 fins (F). (G) Cx43 expression is substantially reduced in sof^b123 mutant fins. Arrows point to Cx43 staining at the joints.