PUBLICATION

Identification of cis-acting elements repressing blue opsin expression in zebrafish UV cones and pineal cells

Authors
Takechi, M., Seno, S., and Kawamura, S.
ID
ZDB-PUB-080922-8
Date
2008
Source
The Journal of biological chemistry   283(46): 31625-31632 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Kawamura, Shoji
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Color
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Genome/genetics
  • Mutation/genetics
  • Opsins/genetics
  • Opsins/metabolism*
  • Pineal Gland/cytology*
  • Pineal Gland/metabolism
  • Response Elements/genetics*
  • Retina/metabolism
  • Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells/metabolism*
  • Ultraviolet Rays*
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish/metabolism*
PubMed
18796431 Full text @ J. Biol. Chem.
Abstract
Opsin genes are expressed in a cell-type specific manner in the retina and the pineal organ for visual and non-visual photoreceptive purposes, but the regulatory mechanism behind the tissue and cell selectivity is not well understood. In the present study, we focus on the expression regulation of the blue-sensitive opsin gene SWS2 of zebrafish by taking a transgenic approach using the green fluorescence protein (GFP) as an expression reporter. The zebrafish SWS2 is a single-copy gene and expressed specifically in the "long single cones" (LSCs) in the retina. We found that (1) a 0.3-kb region between 0.6 and 0.3 kb 5' of the SWS2 initiation codon, encompassing four cone-rod homeobox (Crx) binding sites (OTX sequences), contains the region necessary and sufficient to drive gene expression in LSCs, (2) a 15-bp portion (-341~-327) in the 0.3-kb region represses the gene expression in the "short single cones" (SSCs) which are dedicated to the UV-sensitive opsin gene SWS1, (3) an 11-bp sequence TAACTGCCAGT (-441~-431) in the 0.3-kb region, with its adjacent OTX element, also works as a repressor for gene expression in the pineal cells, and (4) this OTX site is necessary for expression repression in the bipolar cells in the retina. These findings open a way for understanding the complex interaction of positive and negative regulatory factors that governs the cell-type specificity of the opsin gene expression in the photoreceptive cells in the retina and the pineal organ. We termed the novel 11-bp sequence as the pineal negative regulatory element, PINE.
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