PUBLICATION

Mosaic hoxb4a neuronal pleiotropism in zebrafish caudal hindbrain

Authors

Ma, L.H., Punnamoottil, B., Rinkwitz, S., and Baker, R.

ID

ZDB-PUB-090622-11

Date

2009

Source

PLoS One 4(6): e5944 (Journal)

Registered Authors

Baker, Robert, Ma, Leung-Hang Omicron, Punnamoottil, Beena, Rinkwitz, Silke

Keywords

Neurons, Hindbrain, Yellow fluorescent protein, Neural pathways, Zebrafish, Cerebellum, Spinal cord, Mutant genotypes

MeSH Terms

Zebrafish
In Situ Hybridization
Homeodomain Proteins/metabolism*
Rhombencephalon/metabolism*
Spinal Cord/metabolism
Spinal Cord/pathology
Microscopy, Confocal
Transcription, Genetic
Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
Neurons/metabolism
Body Patterning
Axons
Fluorescent Dyes/pharmacology
Animals
Gene Expression Regulation

PubMed

19536294 Full text @ PLoS One

Abstract

To better understand how individual genes and experience influence behavior, the role of a single homeotic unit, hoxb4a, was comprehensively analyzed in vivo by clonal and retrograde fluorescent labeling of caudal hindbrain neurons in a zebrafish enhancer-trap YFP line. A quantitative spatiotemporal neuronal atlas showed hoxb4a activity to be highly variable and mosaic in rhombomere 7-8 reticular, motoneuronal and precerebellar nuclei with expression decreasing differentially in all subgroups through juvenile stages. The extensive Hox mosaicism and widespread pleiotropism demonstrate that the same transcriptional protein plays a role in the development of circuits that drive behaviors from autonomic through motor function including cerebellar regulation. We propose that the continuous presence of hoxb4a positive neurons may provide a developmental plasticity for behavior-specific circuits to accommodate experience- and growth-related changes. Hence, the ubiquitous hoxb4a pleitropism and modularity likely offer an adaptable transcriptional element for circuit modification during both growth and evolution.

Genes / Markers

Figures