PUBLICATION
Dnmt2 functions in the cytoplasm to promote liver, brain, and retina development in zebrafish
- Authors
- Rai, K., Chidester, S., Zavala, C.V., Manos, E.J., James, S.R., Karpf, A.R.,Jones, D.A., and Cairns, B.R.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-070302-1
- Date
- 2007
- Source
- Genes & Development 21(3): 261-266 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Keywords
- none
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Animals, Genetically Modified
- Brain/embryology*
- Brain/enzymology
- Cells, Cultured
- Cytoplasm/enzymology*
- DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases/metabolism
- DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases/physiology*
- Embryo, Nonmammalian
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
- Humans
- Liver/embryology*
- Liver/enzymology
- Retina/embryology*
- Retina/enzymology
- Zebrafish/embryology*
- Zebrafish/metabolism
- Zebrafish Proteins/physiology*
- PubMed
- 17289917 Full text @ Genes & Dev.
Citation
Rai, K., Chidester, S., Zavala, C.V., Manos, E.J., James, S.R., Karpf, A.R.,Jones, D.A., and Cairns, B.R. (2007) Dnmt2 functions in the cytoplasm to promote liver, brain, and retina development in zebrafish. Genes & Development. 21(3):261-266.
Abstract
The roles of DNA methyltransferase-2 (DNMT2) enzymes are controversial; whether DNMT2 functions primarily as a nuclear DNA methyltransferase or as a cytoplasmic tRNA methyltransferase, and whether DNMT2 activity impacts development, as dnmt2 mutant mice or Drosophila lack phenotypes. Here we show that morpholino knockdown of Dnmt2 protein in zebrafish embryos confers differentiation defects in particular organs, including the retina, liver, and brain. Importantly, proper organ differentiation required Dnmt2 activity in the cytoplasm, not in the nucleus. Furthermore, zebrafish Dnmt2 methylates an RNA species of approximately 80 bases, consistent with tRNA methylation. Thus, Dnmt2 promotes zebrafish development, likely through cytoplasmic RNA methylation.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping